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Lot Essay
MATTHEW BOULTON: PURVEYOR OF LUXURY GOODS
Matthew Boulton (d.1809) is celebrated as the most significant producer of objets de luxe in eighteenth century England. A Renaissance man of sorts - artisan, designer, entrepreneur, scientific inventor and philanthropist - he was one of the luminaries of his time. Boulton opened his Soho Manufactory in Birmingham with his partner John Fothergill in 1762. In a period when most firms comprised small industrial units engaged in complex systems of sub-contracting, the partners modernized manufacturing methods bringing together all mechanical processes with each specialized aspect of production, such as drawing, gilding and burnishing, in different studios. Through these improved production methods, the factory expanded its repertoire from producing buttons and small metal objects to encompass a wide variety of luxury goods in decorative metalware. Josiah Wedgwood described Boulton in 1767 as 'the most complete manufacturer in England in metal.' In 1765 Boulton visited Paris, where he observed firsthand the output of the acclaimed Parisian bronziers. Following this visit he became determined to challenge their dominance in the ormolu market, and in 1768 a specialized department was created for the large-scale production of ormolu.
With his jewel-like objects acquired by important patrons, including King George III, Boulton enjoyed a reputation for producing the most luxurious ormolu goods in the country. A series of sales at Christie's in the 1770s provided him with further access to London's fashionable clientele. Boulton also sought international clients, utilizing a network of local agents and ambassadors stationed abroad as tastemakers to introduce his work at various Royal Courts, such as the Court of Catherine the Great. His Soho factory became a place of pilgrimage for fashionable society, and in 1767 Boulton boasted, 'Last week we had Prince Poniatowski, nephew of the King of Poland, and the French, Danish and Dutch ambassadors; this week we have the Count Orloff and five celebrated brothers who are such favorites with the Empress of Russia; and only yesterday I had the Viceroy of Ireland who dined with me. Scarcely a day passes without a visit from some distinguished personage' (H. W. Dickinson, Matthew Boulton, Cambridge University Press, 1936, p. 72).
THE MODEL
These vases comprise festive Grecian-stepped altar-pillars that are hung with bacchic lion-heads and capped by laurel-wreathed sacred urns evoking lyric poetry and sacrifices at love's altar. Such vases, with candle-nozzles concealed in their lids, were designed by Matthew Boulton as appropriate embellishment for the furnishings of a room decorated either in the French goût grec fashion or in the Etruscan 'columbarium' fashion promoted by Robert Adam (d.1792).
This vase pattern was invented for altar-pedestals bearing 'Cleopatra' medallions after the manner of a James Tassie gem, and feature in the Boulton pattern-book. It was perhaps this 'Cleopatra' pattern that Boulton was considering offering in 1770 to Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales (N. Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Matthew Boulton, London, 1974, fig. 161, design r and p. 144; and Goodison op. cit., 2002, p 328).
A closely related pair of the present model are now in the Royal Collection and another similar pair were sold by Mr. S. Jon Gerstenfeld, Christie's, London, 25 November 2004, lot 60 (N. Goodison, op. cit., 2002, pl. 260 & 261 respectively). Further related pairs were sold from The Estate of Esmond Bradley Martin, Sotheby's, New York, 30 October 2002, lot 176 and from The Collection of Denys Sutton, Christie’s, New York, 15 April 2005, lot 212.
BLUE JOHN
Featuring richly striated blue john, the present vases reflect the taste for precious mounted minerals and hardstones among collectors in the second half of the 18th century. A rare fluorspar deposit, blue john is mined on a single hill in Castleton, Derbyshire. Comprised of a mix of deep purple hues with lighter translucent layers ranging from honey yellow to light brown, the name is a corruption of their appellation 'bleu et jaune' in French. Robert Adam too incorporated blue john into furniture and lighting, while a pair of Louis XVI vases and a ewer in the Wallace Collection suggest that Parisian marchands-merciers also used the material (P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London, 1996, vol. III, pp.1390-3, F345-7). It remains unknown if marchands-merciers obtained blue john directly from Castleton or if they were supplied through Boulton, who had an essential monopoly on the mineral in England, as well as a flourishing trade in France.
Matthew Boulton (d.1809) is celebrated as the most significant producer of objets de luxe in eighteenth century England. A Renaissance man of sorts - artisan, designer, entrepreneur, scientific inventor and philanthropist - he was one of the luminaries of his time. Boulton opened his Soho Manufactory in Birmingham with his partner John Fothergill in 1762. In a period when most firms comprised small industrial units engaged in complex systems of sub-contracting, the partners modernized manufacturing methods bringing together all mechanical processes with each specialized aspect of production, such as drawing, gilding and burnishing, in different studios. Through these improved production methods, the factory expanded its repertoire from producing buttons and small metal objects to encompass a wide variety of luxury goods in decorative metalware. Josiah Wedgwood described Boulton in 1767 as 'the most complete manufacturer in England in metal.' In 1765 Boulton visited Paris, where he observed firsthand the output of the acclaimed Parisian bronziers. Following this visit he became determined to challenge their dominance in the ormolu market, and in 1768 a specialized department was created for the large-scale production of ormolu.
With his jewel-like objects acquired by important patrons, including King George III, Boulton enjoyed a reputation for producing the most luxurious ormolu goods in the country. A series of sales at Christie's in the 1770s provided him with further access to London's fashionable clientele. Boulton also sought international clients, utilizing a network of local agents and ambassadors stationed abroad as tastemakers to introduce his work at various Royal Courts, such as the Court of Catherine the Great. His Soho factory became a place of pilgrimage for fashionable society, and in 1767 Boulton boasted, 'Last week we had Prince Poniatowski, nephew of the King of Poland, and the French, Danish and Dutch ambassadors; this week we have the Count Orloff and five celebrated brothers who are such favorites with the Empress of Russia; and only yesterday I had the Viceroy of Ireland who dined with me. Scarcely a day passes without a visit from some distinguished personage' (H. W. Dickinson, Matthew Boulton, Cambridge University Press, 1936, p. 72).
THE MODEL
These vases comprise festive Grecian-stepped altar-pillars that are hung with bacchic lion-heads and capped by laurel-wreathed sacred urns evoking lyric poetry and sacrifices at love's altar. Such vases, with candle-nozzles concealed in their lids, were designed by Matthew Boulton as appropriate embellishment for the furnishings of a room decorated either in the French goût grec fashion or in the Etruscan 'columbarium' fashion promoted by Robert Adam (d.1792).
This vase pattern was invented for altar-pedestals bearing 'Cleopatra' medallions after the manner of a James Tassie gem, and feature in the Boulton pattern-book. It was perhaps this 'Cleopatra' pattern that Boulton was considering offering in 1770 to Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales (N. Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Matthew Boulton, London, 1974, fig. 161, design r and p. 144; and Goodison op. cit., 2002, p 328).
A closely related pair of the present model are now in the Royal Collection and another similar pair were sold by Mr. S. Jon Gerstenfeld, Christie's, London, 25 November 2004, lot 60 (N. Goodison, op. cit., 2002, pl. 260 & 261 respectively). Further related pairs were sold from The Estate of Esmond Bradley Martin, Sotheby's, New York, 30 October 2002, lot 176 and from The Collection of Denys Sutton, Christie’s, New York, 15 April 2005, lot 212.
BLUE JOHN
Featuring richly striated blue john, the present vases reflect the taste for precious mounted minerals and hardstones among collectors in the second half of the 18th century. A rare fluorspar deposit, blue john is mined on a single hill in Castleton, Derbyshire. Comprised of a mix of deep purple hues with lighter translucent layers ranging from honey yellow to light brown, the name is a corruption of their appellation 'bleu et jaune' in French. Robert Adam too incorporated blue john into furniture and lighting, while a pair of Louis XVI vases and a ewer in the Wallace Collection suggest that Parisian marchands-merciers also used the material (P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London, 1996, vol. III, pp.1390-3, F345-7). It remains unknown if marchands-merciers obtained blue john directly from Castleton or if they were supplied through Boulton, who had an essential monopoly on the mineral in England, as well as a flourishing trade in France.