The typeface Blackletter, also called Gothic Script, is used for the dedication: “To Christ Church Baltimore in Memory Mrs. Eliza A. Montague Easter 1878; Alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Alms dishes were used to collect donations during church services. In 1878, Christ Church (founded 1797) in Mount Vernon, Baltimore, had recently completed a new building in the Gothic Revival style, which featured arched entryways, columns, a bell tower, and stained glass resembling a medieval cathedral. Like the architecture’s reference to history, the inscription for Eliza Montague brings the past and her memory into the present. Silver vessels of this size were costly purchases, and this dish was ordered from Gorham Manufactory, a prestigious silversmithing firm operating out of Providence, Rhode Island.