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Lot Essay
Born in Birmingham in September 1728 to a buckle, button and 'toy' maker, Matthew Boulton was an 18th century Renaissance man: an artisan, designer, scientific inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and a great British innovator. After his father's death in 1759, Boulton went into partnership with John Fothergill, and in 1762 they established the Soho Manufactory, two miles north of Birmingham. The factory manufactured a wide variety of luxury objects; from small steel buckles, gilded chatelaines, to ormolu and silver, as well as reproducing oil paintings using a mechanical process. Within the factory, there were workshops specializing in each aspect of the mechanical process, such as burnishing, chasing, gilding, drawing, cementing, etc.
With its wares exported all over the world, the factory attracted an international clientele. Boulton boasted in 1767, '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 favourites 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' (Matthew Boulton Bicentenary Celebrations, Birmingham City Council, 2008, p. 1).
By 1771, the improved method of ormolu vase production and the quality of his metalwork, along with the encouragement of patrons, including the Earls of Warwick and Shelburne, Boulton held an exhibition and sale at James Christie's in London, 11-13 April 1770, which consisted of 265 lots of his latest vases and ormolu works of art.
The model of the present lot and related vases executed in both Blue John and marble with voluted palm and acanthus wrapped branches that are born by ram-heads on a ‘round step’ or ‘round altar’ pedestal have been identified as Boulton's 'Burgoyne' pattern, presumably named after Colonel (later General) Burgoyne, son-in-law of the 11th Earl of Derby (N. Goodison, Ormolu: The work of Matthew Boulton, London, 1974, pp. 299-300, figs 263-265).
Boulton first exhibited this vase pattern in his exhibition and sale of 1771, lot 46 from the sale, which apparently went unsold, was described as: ‘An altar of statuary marble richly embellished in the antique taste, on which is a vase with three branches for candles’. A further ‘Burgoyne’ pattern vase, executed in blue-john, in the same sale, lot 61 was described as: 'An altar radix amethysti and or moulu richly decorated in the antique taste on which is a vase of the same with three branches for candles - £17.6.0.'
The distinctive scrolling branch pattern, features in Boulton's Pattern Book I, p. 19, no. 399 and is illustrated in N. Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Mathew Boulton, London, 1974, fig. 162 (a).
‘Burgoyne’ pattern vases to have appeared on the market include a pair, executed in blue john, sold Christie’s, London 3 July 1997, lot 75, for £150,000. A single three branch candle vase, executed in white marble, was sold Sotheby’s, London, 30 November 2001, lot 26.
With its wares exported all over the world, the factory attracted an international clientele. Boulton boasted in 1767, '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 favourites 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' (Matthew Boulton Bicentenary Celebrations, Birmingham City Council, 2008, p. 1).
By 1771, the improved method of ormolu vase production and the quality of his metalwork, along with the encouragement of patrons, including the Earls of Warwick and Shelburne, Boulton held an exhibition and sale at James Christie's in London, 11-13 April 1770, which consisted of 265 lots of his latest vases and ormolu works of art.
The model of the present lot and related vases executed in both Blue John and marble with voluted palm and acanthus wrapped branches that are born by ram-heads on a ‘round step’ or ‘round altar’ pedestal have been identified as Boulton's 'Burgoyne' pattern, presumably named after Colonel (later General) Burgoyne, son-in-law of the 11th Earl of Derby (N. Goodison, Ormolu: The work of Matthew Boulton, London, 1974, pp. 299-300, figs 263-265).
Boulton first exhibited this vase pattern in his exhibition and sale of 1771, lot 46 from the sale, which apparently went unsold, was described as: ‘An altar of statuary marble richly embellished in the antique taste, on which is a vase with three branches for candles’. A further ‘Burgoyne’ pattern vase, executed in blue-john, in the same sale, lot 61 was described as: 'An altar radix amethysti and or moulu richly decorated in the antique taste on which is a vase of the same with three branches for candles - £17.6.0.'
The distinctive scrolling branch pattern, features in Boulton's Pattern Book I, p. 19, no. 399 and is illustrated in N. Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Mathew Boulton, London, 1974, fig. 162 (a).
‘Burgoyne’ pattern vases to have appeared on the market include a pair, executed in blue john, sold Christie’s, London 3 July 1997, lot 75, for £150,000. A single three branch candle vase, executed in white marble, was sold Sotheby’s, London, 30 November 2001, lot 26.