Lot Essay
This casket, a tour de force of the jeweller's craft, was undoubtedly a special commission. The presence of the hitherto unrecorded 'Girl-in-a-Swing' rococo plaques made specifically for it, and the contents including 'Girl-in-a-Swing' scent-bottles and etui strongly point to Charles Gouyn of Bennet Street, St. James's, as the assembler. Furthermore, the inclusion also of the three rectangular Chelsea porcelain boxes and carnet, and the four cut-glass bottles and the Meissen thimble would suggest that the assembler was familiar with the 'chinamen' in London and clearly had access to wares from other factories; it would of course have been a simple matter for him to have acquired 'extras' from Mr. Stables's establishment in Crown & Sceptre Court, St. James's Street. Although this, in itself, does not confirm Gouyn as the maker, it would be most unlikely that any other jeweller would have commissioned Gouyn, himself a jeweller, to make the plaques to fit a competitor's casket.
The recent discovery of this magnificent casket adds significantly to the knowledge of the productions currently attributed to the 'Girl-in-a-Swing' factory. Bernard Dragesco in English Ceramics in French Archives (London, 1993), discusses in detail the significance of the contemporary statements of one Jacques Louis Brolliet who had worked at both the Chelsea porcelain factory in the 1740's and later at Sèvres. In referring to the Chelsea factory Brolliet states "It was first established by Mr Gouin..." and later he goes on to say that Mr Gouin "...left with the loss of part of his funds and makes at his house in St. James's Street very beautiful small porcelain figures". He concludes his paper with the suggestion that the 'Girl-in-a-Swing' class of porcelains be renamed the St. James's Factory of Charles Gouyn.
It is known from contemporary newspaper advertisements, Parish Registers and Rate Books that Charles Gouyn, 'Proprietor and Chief Manager of the Chesea-House' was living at The Turk's Head in Bennet Street, St. James's, where he had a jewellery business and paid rates on the property from 1735 until 1783. Although past scholars have played down the role of Gouyn at the Chelsea factory, Brolliet stated it was he who started the factory. His disagreement with Nicholas Sprimont, his associate at Chelsea, occurred in about 1749 coinciding with a dramatic re-organisation of the factory, though at such a distance of time it is difficult to appreciate the exact cause and sequence of these events. As early as April 1746 Chelsea China was being advertised for sale at "Mr Stables's, The Corner of Crown-and-Sceptre-Court, St. James's Street, for the conveniency of the Publick, who may there be supplied in like manner as at Chelsea" (Daily Advertiser 18 and 24th April 1746). A factory showroom was opened in 1747 at Monmouth House, Lawrence Street, Chelsea, and in 1749 this was expanded to include larger premises in Lawrence Street adjoining those in Church Lane East; at the same time Joseph Willems was engaged as a modeller. The result of all these changes was the advertising (Daily Advertiser, 9 January, 1750) of a 'Taste entirely new' - the Kakiemon style wares and the bird models of the raised anchor period. By April 1750 Sprimont denied all connection with '...the goods expos'd to sale in St. James's Street, called the Chelsea-China-Warehouse'. Whether Sprimont and Gouyn had fallen out over factory policy or whether Gouyn had been experimenting with the manufacture of 'beautiful small porcelain figures' and had found a ready market for them through the Chelsea-China-Warehouse in St. James's, thereby working in direct competition with the Chelsea concern, remains open to discussion. It seems more than probable that Gouyn while actively pursuing the production of scent-bottles and 'toys' (...'the beautiful small porcelain figures' of the Brolliet document) he was exposing them for sale to an eager aristocratic buying public at the 'Chelsea-China-Warehouse' in Crown & Sceptre Court, St. James's Street.
The possibility of this casket being a Royal or Court order should be carefully considered - Gouyn's establishment in Bennet Street was but a stone's throw from the Court at St. James's. It is interesting and perhaps relevant to note that among the effects of the late Sir Everard Fawkener sold at auction by Mr. Ford at his great Room in the Haymarket in a six day sale, 12th-19th February 1759, was '...a most beautiful JEWEL CABINET mounted in Gold, with Gold Equipage for the Toilet etc.' (Cf. Nancy Valpy 'Extracts from 18th Century London Newspapers', ECC Transactions, Vol. 12, Pt.1 (1984), p.63). Fawkener had been secretary to the Duke of Cumberland and was involved with the Chelsea Porcelain factory; it has been convincingly argued (Elizabeth Adams, Chelsea Porcelain, 1987) that it was he who enabled Sprimont to buy the Lawrence Street factory buildings, after Gouyn had left to pursue his own interests in St. James's.
The inspiration for the decoration of the mirror-doors is derived from Gabriel Huquier's La Fontaine engraving after a composition by Louis XV's peintre ordinaire Jacques de la Joue (d.1761)
The recent discovery of this magnificent casket adds significantly to the knowledge of the productions currently attributed to the 'Girl-in-a-Swing' factory. Bernard Dragesco in English Ceramics in French Archives (London, 1993), discusses in detail the significance of the contemporary statements of one Jacques Louis Brolliet who had worked at both the Chelsea porcelain factory in the 1740's and later at Sèvres. In referring to the Chelsea factory Brolliet states "It was first established by Mr Gouin..." and later he goes on to say that Mr Gouin "...left with the loss of part of his funds and makes at his house in St. James's Street very beautiful small porcelain figures". He concludes his paper with the suggestion that the 'Girl-in-a-Swing' class of porcelains be renamed the St. James's Factory of Charles Gouyn.
It is known from contemporary newspaper advertisements, Parish Registers and Rate Books that Charles Gouyn, 'Proprietor and Chief Manager of the Chesea-House' was living at The Turk's Head in Bennet Street, St. James's, where he had a jewellery business and paid rates on the property from 1735 until 1783. Although past scholars have played down the role of Gouyn at the Chelsea factory, Brolliet stated it was he who started the factory. His disagreement with Nicholas Sprimont, his associate at Chelsea, occurred in about 1749 coinciding with a dramatic re-organisation of the factory, though at such a distance of time it is difficult to appreciate the exact cause and sequence of these events. As early as April 1746 Chelsea China was being advertised for sale at "Mr Stables's, The Corner of Crown-and-Sceptre-Court, St. James's Street, for the conveniency of the Publick, who may there be supplied in like manner as at Chelsea" (Daily Advertiser 18 and 24th April 1746). A factory showroom was opened in 1747 at Monmouth House, Lawrence Street, Chelsea, and in 1749 this was expanded to include larger premises in Lawrence Street adjoining those in Church Lane East; at the same time Joseph Willems was engaged as a modeller. The result of all these changes was the advertising (Daily Advertiser, 9 January, 1750) of a 'Taste entirely new' - the Kakiemon style wares and the bird models of the raised anchor period. By April 1750 Sprimont denied all connection with '...the goods expos'd to sale in St. James's Street, called the Chelsea-China-Warehouse'. Whether Sprimont and Gouyn had fallen out over factory policy or whether Gouyn had been experimenting with the manufacture of 'beautiful small porcelain figures' and had found a ready market for them through the Chelsea-China-Warehouse in St. James's, thereby working in direct competition with the Chelsea concern, remains open to discussion. It seems more than probable that Gouyn while actively pursuing the production of scent-bottles and 'toys' (...'the beautiful small porcelain figures' of the Brolliet document) he was exposing them for sale to an eager aristocratic buying public at the 'Chelsea-China-Warehouse' in Crown & Sceptre Court, St. James's Street.
The possibility of this casket being a Royal or Court order should be carefully considered - Gouyn's establishment in Bennet Street was but a stone's throw from the Court at St. James's. It is interesting and perhaps relevant to note that among the effects of the late Sir Everard Fawkener sold at auction by Mr. Ford at his great Room in the Haymarket in a six day sale, 12th-19th February 1759, was '...a most beautiful JEWEL CABINET mounted in Gold, with Gold Equipage for the Toilet etc.' (Cf. Nancy Valpy 'Extracts from 18th Century London Newspapers', ECC Transactions, Vol. 12, Pt.1 (1984), p.63). Fawkener had been secretary to the Duke of Cumberland and was involved with the Chelsea Porcelain factory; it has been convincingly argued (Elizabeth Adams, Chelsea Porcelain, 1987) that it was he who enabled Sprimont to buy the Lawrence Street factory buildings, after Gouyn had left to pursue his own interests in St. James's.
The inspiration for the decoration of the mirror-doors is derived from Gabriel Huquier's La Fontaine engraving after a composition by Louis XV's peintre ordinaire Jacques de la Joue (d.1761)