Lot Essay
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
W. H. Pyne, History of the Royal Residences, vol. III, 1819, Drawings for Windsor Castle, sold Sotheby's, 9 April 1970
G. de Bellaigue and P. Kirkham, 'George IV and the furnishings of Windsor Castle', Furniture History Society Journal, vol. VIII, 1972, pl. 13b
D. Watkin, The Royal Interiors of Regency England, 1984, p. 124
J. Hardy, 'Important English Furniture', Christie's International Magazine, April 1989, pp. 102-103
This torchere predates the ten identical ones supplied to George, Prince of Wales for the gothic conservatory created by Thomas Hopper (1776-1856) for the garden front of Carlton House. The Royal candelabra were designed en suite with an emblematic fountain, comprising an octagonal base with the 'Welsh' dragon waterspouts and a central pillar surmounted by a bunch of leeks (Welsh) encircled by the Prince's coronet. They were invoiced to the Prince of Wales in December 1810: 'To 10 Gothic candelabra very richly ornamented 7 feet high. Models of Designs for Brass Founders for the Lamps. Black marble plinth, iron bars, screws, nuts etc. Mason setting up #500'
Coade charged #50 for each candelabrum, #97.1.0. for the fountain and approximately #20 each for statues of two Kings, two bishops and a pilgrim. The candelabra were almost certainly modelled by Thomas Dubbin (on the basis of his name appearing on this), for Eleanor Coade II (1733-1821), who since 1799 had taken her cousin John Sealy (d. 1813) into partnership. The Royal candelabrum formed part of the most prestigious contract executed by the Coade firm and, with this one, is the earliest example of their work in the 'florid' gothic style, which the architect Thomas Rickman (1776-1841) called 'The perpendicular English style'. The ornament of these artificial stone candelabrum correspond with that of the conservatory, whose cast-iron Tudor vaulting was inspired by the Henry VII chapel in Westminster Abbey. In his history of Carlton House, published in 1819, W. H. Pyne described the style as "Ancient English Architecture denonimated 'the florid gothic'", and he mentioned 'The candelabrum of Gothic form, enriched with devises most tastefully designed and curiously (richly) modeled (sic.), which support elegant lamps of six burners each'.
Heraldry played an important part in the rich effect of the conservatory, whose painted windows portrayed the arms of the sovereigns of England from William I, as well as those of all the princes of Wales. The heraldic dragons recall the 'red dragon' device taken by Henry VII in token of his alleged paternal Welsh descent from Calwalader and which later became the King's badge for Wales, following the Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
In 1826, when Jeffrey Wyatville begain recasting the state rooms at Windsor Castle for George IV, drawings were made of the Carlton House furnishings for use elsewhere. A drawing of one of these Royal candelabra, attributed to Frederick Crace (now in a private collection) may have been made at this time. The following year the candelabra appeared in Wyatville's designs for the Coffee Room in the King's apartment, and they were despatched there in November.
In 1813, Sir George Osborn commissioned James Wyatt to alter Chicksands Priory; Wyatt is known to have used Coade stone (op.cit., pp. 329-330), however, Sir George did buy directly from Coade (op.cit. p. 96), littering his house with various pieces.
Thomas Dubbin was a designer employed by Coade and at the time of her death in 1821, he and Groggon attested her will. He often travelled to the site and made drawings as was the case at Oakley Hall near Basingstoke in 1819 (op.cit. pp. 49-50, 111)
One of the Royal torcheres/candelabrum was sold in these Rooms, 13 April 1989, lot 19, and is now in the National Museum of Wales
Three of the four armorial cartouches on the base are as follows: Osborn for Sir George Osborn, the patron; Finch for his wife Lady Heneage, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Nottingham; and Montagu for his mother Lady Mary, daughter of the 1st Earl of Halifax
W. H. Pyne, History of the Royal Residences, vol. III, 1819, Drawings for Windsor Castle, sold Sotheby's, 9 April 1970
G. de Bellaigue and P. Kirkham, 'George IV and the furnishings of Windsor Castle', Furniture History Society Journal, vol. VIII, 1972, pl. 13b
D. Watkin, The Royal Interiors of Regency England, 1984, p. 124
J. Hardy, 'Important English Furniture', Christie's International Magazine, April 1989, pp. 102-103
This torchere predates the ten identical ones supplied to George, Prince of Wales for the gothic conservatory created by Thomas Hopper (1776-1856) for the garden front of Carlton House. The Royal candelabra were designed en suite with an emblematic fountain, comprising an octagonal base with the 'Welsh' dragon waterspouts and a central pillar surmounted by a bunch of leeks (Welsh) encircled by the Prince's coronet. They were invoiced to the Prince of Wales in December 1810: 'To 10 Gothic candelabra very richly ornamented 7 feet high. Models of Designs for Brass Founders for the Lamps. Black marble plinth, iron bars, screws, nuts etc. Mason setting up #500'
Coade charged #50 for each candelabrum, #97.1.0. for the fountain and approximately #20 each for statues of two Kings, two bishops and a pilgrim. The candelabra were almost certainly modelled by Thomas Dubbin (on the basis of his name appearing on this), for Eleanor Coade II (1733-1821), who since 1799 had taken her cousin John Sealy (d. 1813) into partnership. The Royal candelabrum formed part of the most prestigious contract executed by the Coade firm and, with this one, is the earliest example of their work in the 'florid' gothic style, which the architect Thomas Rickman (1776-1841) called 'The perpendicular English style'. The ornament of these artificial stone candelabrum correspond with that of the conservatory, whose cast-iron Tudor vaulting was inspired by the Henry VII chapel in Westminster Abbey. In his history of Carlton House, published in 1819, W. H. Pyne described the style as "Ancient English Architecture denonimated 'the florid gothic'", and he mentioned 'The candelabrum of Gothic form, enriched with devises most tastefully designed and curiously (richly) modeled (sic.), which support elegant lamps of six burners each'.
Heraldry played an important part in the rich effect of the conservatory, whose painted windows portrayed the arms of the sovereigns of England from William I, as well as those of all the princes of Wales. The heraldic dragons recall the 'red dragon' device taken by Henry VII in token of his alleged paternal Welsh descent from Calwalader and which later became the King's badge for Wales, following the Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
In 1826, when Jeffrey Wyatville begain recasting the state rooms at Windsor Castle for George IV, drawings were made of the Carlton House furnishings for use elsewhere. A drawing of one of these Royal candelabra, attributed to Frederick Crace (now in a private collection) may have been made at this time. The following year the candelabra appeared in Wyatville's designs for the Coffee Room in the King's apartment, and they were despatched there in November.
In 1813, Sir George Osborn commissioned James Wyatt to alter Chicksands Priory; Wyatt is known to have used Coade stone (op.cit., pp. 329-330), however, Sir George did buy directly from Coade (op.cit. p. 96), littering his house with various pieces.
Thomas Dubbin was a designer employed by Coade and at the time of her death in 1821, he and Groggon attested her will. He often travelled to the site and made drawings as was the case at Oakley Hall near Basingstoke in 1819 (op.cit. pp. 49-50, 111)
One of the Royal torcheres/candelabrum was sold in these Rooms, 13 April 1989, lot 19, and is now in the National Museum of Wales
Three of the four armorial cartouches on the base are as follows: Osborn for Sir George Osborn, the patron; Finch for his wife Lady Heneage, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Nottingham; and Montagu for his mother Lady Mary, daughter of the 1st Earl of Halifax