What Makes Patrick Mavros Gorilla Sculptures So Collectible? The History of Africa's Celebrated Luxury Silver Brand
The first Patrick Mavros production studio was opened in 1983 on the family estate in the picturesque jungle of the Umwinsi Valley, Harare, Zimbabwe. Today, two generations of the Mavros family run the company which has expanded to include flagship stores in London and Harare and six boutiques throughout Africa.
Lots 208 - 222: An expansive collection of vintage Patrick Mavros sterling silver gorillas, including examples from the original 1996 production, highlights Freeman's June 2026 Dining at Home auction.
Although the company initially focused on jewelry, they expanded to include table decorations, luxury home goods, silver flatware, and small- to large-scale figurines, created from sterling silver and gold using the cire-perdue, or lost wax, casting method. The finely crafted Patrick Mavros oeuvre is exclusively conceived by family members, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of African flora and fauna, and produced in Africa. Silver and gold used for all of the company’s creations is recycled from post-consumer sources, reducing the brand’s environmental footprint.
Lots 208 - 222: An expansive collection of vintage Patrick Mavros sterling silver gorillas, including examples from the original 1996 production, highlights Freeman's June 2026 Dining at Home auction.
Freeman’s is delighted to offer an expansive early collection of vintage Patrick Mavros sterling silver gorilla figurines and foliate table decorations in our June 16, 2026, Dining at Home sale. The collection includes fourteen members of the playful gorilla families, including a formidable large-scale sculpture of the “Chairman” and a few adorable infants. Over half of the marvelously detailed gorillas were cast in 1996 when the treasured line debuted, and many are now out of production. Posed in lifelike positions, the gorillas appear poised to spring into action. Completing a fantasy miniature jungle, the collection is rounded out by groups of botanically precise sterling silver palm tree- and bamboo-form candlesticks and a darting Springbok antelope that is part of Patrick Mavros’ line of freestanding, smaller-scale animal figurines.
Lots 208 - 222: An expansive collection of vintage Patrick Mavros sterling silver gorillas, including examples from the original 1996 production, highlights Freeman's June 2026 Dining at Home auction.
The Mavros brood is known for their commitment to environmental conservation and protection of the African wilderness. In 2016, they began raising awareness and funds for conservation of the pangolin, a remarkable scaled mammal threatened with extinction from illegal poaching. Although the pangolin remains the world’s most-trafficked mammal, thanks in part to the company’s activism, the species has gained significant protection measures from critical governments worldwide since 2020.
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