Lot 21
- 21
A George III gilt-bronze mounted Blue John two-light candelabrum, circa 1770, attributed to Matthew Boulton
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
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Description
- blue john and gilt brass
- 36cm high, 1ft. 2 1/2 in.
the egg-shaped body surmounted by a lid, on a socle and square plinth
Provenance
Formerly in the collection of Mrs Cremers, Wassenar, Holland until sold Christie's Amsterdam, 21 December 1989, lot 276;
Christie's London, 28 November 2002, lot 5.
Christie's London, 28 November 2002, lot 5.
Condition
In overall good condition with beautifully cast mounts. The husk are upside down and would have formerly been fitted with a chain (see design illustrated in catalogue note). Gilt-bronze would benefit from a clean. Blue john with both construction and natural fault lines. An impressive object.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Nicholas Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Matthew Boulton, London, 2002, p. 359-361, fig. 365-370. Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) and James Fothergill (d.1782) founded their extraordinary factory in Soho, Staffordshire in 1761. They produced an exemplary body of work illustrative of Boulton’s innovation as an engineer, entrepreneur and the level of patronage that he received. At the cutting edge of artistic endeavour, he was part of a circle which included luminaries such as Josiah Wedgwood, Robert Adam, Sir William Chambers and James Watt, all of whom who had great bearing on his work.
The pattern for this wing-figured vase candelabrum, with a white body and marble plinth, features in Boulton's metal-work Pattern Book I which preserved in the Birmingham City Museum and bears the number 238 (Goodison, op. cit., p. 361, fig. 370) (fig. 1). It appears together with a pattern for a 'cassolette' vase, lacking branches but embellished with a husk-festooned medallion (Goodison, op. cit., p. 363, fig. 371). Their design evolved from the Atlas-figured vase-candelabra that Boulton designed in 1770 for George III and reflects the influence of the Court architect Sir William Chambers, whose Civil Architecture, 1759 devoted a chapter to 'Persians and Caryatides' (see Nicholas Goodison, 'The King's Vases', Furniture History, 1972, pp. 35-40).
This pattern of vase-candelabra was included by Boulton and Fothergill in their April 1772 sale at Christie and Ansell's London show-rooms, and catalogued as 'Wing figured Vases'. Two closely related pairs, one with Stourbridge-glass bodies, the other with Derbyshire bluejohn bodies were, purchased by Robert Child (d. 1782) of Osterley Park, Middlesex and Berkeley Square, London (Goodison, op. cit., p. 361, fig. 369).
Nicholas Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Matthew Boulton, London, 2002, p. 359-361, fig. 365-370. Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) and James Fothergill (d.1782) founded their extraordinary factory in Soho, Staffordshire in 1761. They produced an exemplary body of work illustrative of Boulton’s innovation as an engineer, entrepreneur and the level of patronage that he received. At the cutting edge of artistic endeavour, he was part of a circle which included luminaries such as Josiah Wedgwood, Robert Adam, Sir William Chambers and James Watt, all of whom who had great bearing on his work.
The pattern for this wing-figured vase candelabrum, with a white body and marble plinth, features in Boulton's metal-work Pattern Book I which preserved in the Birmingham City Museum and bears the number 238 (Goodison, op. cit., p. 361, fig. 370) (fig. 1). It appears together with a pattern for a 'cassolette' vase, lacking branches but embellished with a husk-festooned medallion (Goodison, op. cit., p. 363, fig. 371). Their design evolved from the Atlas-figured vase-candelabra that Boulton designed in 1770 for George III and reflects the influence of the Court architect Sir William Chambers, whose Civil Architecture, 1759 devoted a chapter to 'Persians and Caryatides' (see Nicholas Goodison, 'The King's Vases', Furniture History, 1972, pp. 35-40).
This pattern of vase-candelabra was included by Boulton and Fothergill in their April 1772 sale at Christie and Ansell's London show-rooms, and catalogued as 'Wing figured Vases'. Two closely related pairs, one with Stourbridge-glass bodies, the other with Derbyshire bluejohn bodies were, purchased by Robert Child (d. 1782) of Osterley Park, Middlesex and Berkeley Square, London (Goodison, op. cit., p. 361, fig. 369).