By the late 1860s, Egyptian motifs found their way into the American design vocabulary due in part to the excitement over the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869. Inspired by the occasion, American silver companies introduced a range of flatware designs incorporating Egyptian motifs. The silver produced in this period is among the most beautiful and inspired work of the 19th-century Egyptian revival. In Gorham’s "Silence" pattern, this olive spoon’s handle is flanked by a pair of seated pharaoh figures with a gilded, pierced bowl.

Olives appeared more frequently on American tables during the late 19th century as production in California expanded.