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CINCINNATI – April 22, 2015 – The Victorian Society in America will present the 2015 Ruth Emery book prize to Cincinnati Art Museum Curator Amy Dehan for the book Cincinnati Silver: 1788-1940 at the society’s annual meeting in Savannah, Georgia in May.

Last summer, the exhibition Cincinnati Silver: 1788–1940 showcased over 200 silver objects, ranging from elegantly wrought soup tureens to tea sets in styles that span the Neoclassical to Art Deco periods. The works, all made or retailed in Cincinnati, were drawn primarily from the Cincinnati Art Museum’s collection of Cincinnati silver, which has quadrupled in size over the last decade.

Dehan, Curator of Decorative Arts and Design, curated the exhibition and was the primary author of the accompanying 400-page, color illustrated book. This publication represents the first new scholarship since 1975 on the subject of Cincinnati as a major center for silver production and trade and includes biographies, photographs of pieces, and discussions of Cincinnati as a consumer, producer, and exporter of luxury silver. All photography was the work of the Museum’s Head of Photographic Services, Rob Deslongchamps.

The Victorian Society in America presents three awards annually to books that manifest an understanding or appreciation of the decorative arts or architecture of the 19th century. The Ruth Emery award, named after one of the founders of the society, recognizes publications that specialize in regional culture and history.

The Victorian Society in America will publish the award-winning books on their website, www.victoriansociety.org. You can also purchase the catalogue online through the Cincinnati Art Museum’s website, www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org or at the Art Museum’s gift shop.

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About the Cincinnati Art Museum

The Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati, as well as our members.

General admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is always free. The museum is open Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is closed Monday.