Lot Essay
These sceaux are closely related to the ice pails produced by Messrs. Boulton and Fothergill of Soho, Birmingham. As early as 1769, Thomas Pownall, after discussion with those 'who have nothing to do but to copy or invent new modes of luxury and manifence, and who have lived amongst the French', suggested that Boulton should produce copies of the French prototype. However, it was not until 1772 that three drawings of this model were submitted to the Duke of Ancaster, estimated at 20 guineas each, and the executed ice pails were finally delivered in May 1773, described as
3 large ice pails in ormoulu with plated linings @ 15 gns.
2 @ 12 gns
The design for these ice pails from the company's pattern books is discussed in N. Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Mathew Boulton, London, 1974, p. 137, pls. 63 and 163, figs. n and a
As recorded in the Boulton and Fothergill account books, this model was consequently sold to James Bellis, the Earl of Ashburnham, the Earl of Coventry, the Countess of Derby and the Earl Beauchamp
A pair corresponding almost exactly to the pattern book sketch were sold from the collection of Mme Lucienne Fribourg, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 19 April 1969, lot 70 (probably the example illustrated in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al, Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, Vol. 1, p. 203, fig. 3.15.5); another pair is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (M-299/1976)
Unlike the recorded Boulton model, these ice pails have plain rather than fluted neck-bands, acanthus rather than flowered ribbon-guilloche below and lack the husk-festoons in the fluted body. They would, therefore, appear to be French prototypes, and Thomas Pownall's suggestion that Boulton should copy French models is confirmed by the lion-mask candlesticks, after the model by Pierre Gouthière, which he had produced by 1771 as two pairs were included in the sale of Boulton's stock that year at Christie's on 11-13 April. They were bought by the Earl of Sefton and one pair is now in the Walker Art Gallery Liverpool. Like the ice pails there is a drawing of the model in the pattern books
3 large ice pails in ormoulu with plated linings @ 15 gns.
2 @ 12 gns
The design for these ice pails from the company's pattern books is discussed in N. Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Mathew Boulton, London, 1974, p. 137, pls. 63 and 163, figs. n and a
As recorded in the Boulton and Fothergill account books, this model was consequently sold to James Bellis, the Earl of Ashburnham, the Earl of Coventry, the Countess of Derby and the Earl Beauchamp
A pair corresponding almost exactly to the pattern book sketch were sold from the collection of Mme Lucienne Fribourg, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 19 April 1969, lot 70 (probably the example illustrated in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al, Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, Vol. 1, p. 203, fig. 3.15.5); another pair is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (M-299/1976)
Unlike the recorded Boulton model, these ice pails have plain rather than fluted neck-bands, acanthus rather than flowered ribbon-guilloche below and lack the husk-festoons in the fluted body. They would, therefore, appear to be French prototypes, and Thomas Pownall's suggestion that Boulton should copy French models is confirmed by the lion-mask candlesticks, after the model by Pierre Gouthière, which he had produced by 1771 as two pairs were included in the sale of Boulton's stock that year at Christie's on 11-13 April. They were bought by the Earl of Sefton and one pair is now in the Walker Art Gallery Liverpool. Like the ice pails there is a drawing of the model in the pattern books