Lot Essay
The 'Roman' candelabra, originally fitted with 'patent fountain lamps with three burners' corresponds to a set of four commissioned for his Mayfair house in September 1806 by Charles Kinnaird, 8th Lord Kinniard (d.1826) at that time of his marriage to Letitia Fitzgerald daughter of the 2nd Duke of Leinster. A pair of these are in The Royal Pavilion at Brighton, situated in the Entrance Hall, and bear the inscription 'Designed and executed by Vuillamy & Son AD 1807' and were claimed by Benjamin Vulliamy to be, 'by far the largest ever executed in bronze in this country'. His firm's 'Ornament Book, no. 1' for 7 October 1806 lists the work to be executed by various craftsmen outside the Vuillamy workshop, for example the carving of the model was carried out by Hess, the casting by Barnet, the filing and riffling by Couling and the chasing by Caney, Harrison and Lacey. The inspiration for their design derives in part from an etching of Giovanni Battista Piranese (d.1778), Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, Sarcophagi... dedicated to 'Signor Carlo Morris', Rome 1778, Vol. II Pl. 995, 996
The mahogany and ebony pedestals, have bas-reliefs which derive from 'an antique triangular altar of white marble' illustrated in C.H. Tatham, Etchings representing the best examples of ancient architecture..., London 1799. The manufacturing costs for two pairs amounted to £474 when deliverd in April 1808. Lord Kinnaird refused Vulliamy's invoice for £756 and instead offered £100 for a single pair. After arbitration he paid £657.9.7 on 7 May, 1809 and the second pair was auctioned by Phillips, Son & Neil, (where it was noted that their price had decreased due to Mr. Foreman of Harley Street having copied them in wood.)
The present simulated marble 'altar' pedestal, is embellished with bronze heads of Silenus, vine-wreathed Bacchus and a Bacchante, the latter deriving from Thomas Hope, Regency Furniture and Interior Decoration, pl.XXXVII.
The pair to this, also with rosewood, pedestal applied with three masks, was sold, but with a removale gadrooned rim, was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 5 July 1991, lot 47.
We are grateful to Roger Smith for his help in preparing this catalogue entry based on his article 'Vulliamy and the Kinnaird candelabra, Craftsmenship and patronage in Regency London', Apollo, January 1997, pp. 30-34.
The mahogany and ebony pedestals, have bas-reliefs which derive from 'an antique triangular altar of white marble' illustrated in C.H. Tatham, Etchings representing the best examples of ancient architecture..., London 1799. The manufacturing costs for two pairs amounted to £474 when deliverd in April 1808. Lord Kinnaird refused Vulliamy's invoice for £756 and instead offered £100 for a single pair. After arbitration he paid £657.9.7 on 7 May, 1809 and the second pair was auctioned by Phillips, Son & Neil, (where it was noted that their price had decreased due to Mr. Foreman of Harley Street having copied them in wood.)
The present simulated marble 'altar' pedestal, is embellished with bronze heads of Silenus, vine-wreathed Bacchus and a Bacchante, the latter deriving from Thomas Hope, Regency Furniture and Interior Decoration, pl.XXXVII.
The pair to this, also with rosewood, pedestal applied with three masks, was sold, but with a removale gadrooned rim, was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 5 July 1991, lot 47.
We are grateful to Roger Smith for his help in preparing this catalogue entry based on his article 'Vulliamy and the Kinnaird candelabra, Craftsmenship and patronage in Regency London', Apollo, January 1997, pp. 30-34.