Matthew Boulton - THE WARWICK CASTLE 'CARYATIC' CANDLE VASE

Date	1770
Period	1750-1850, 18th century
Origin	England
Medium	Ormolu mounted, ‘Cliff blue vein’
Dimensions	56.5 x 47.5 cm (22¹/₄ x 18³/₄ inches)
Gallery	Ronald Phillips Ltd

Description
Technical

A George III ormolu mounted ‘cliff blue vein’ blue john candle vase by Matthew Boulton. This vase is referred to in the 4 November 1809 inventory of Warwick Castle, Warwickshire, which describes in the Yellow Bedroom ‘A Derbyshire Pedestal and urn with four branches’. This item is further mentioned in a December 1924 inventory entitled ‘Articles in Warwick Castle of National or Historical interest’, which lists in the Cedar Drawing Room a ‘20 in. Ormolu mounted Blue John Vase and Cover surmounted by a brass knob, two terminal female figures supporting two light candelabra, on four knob feet.’ The blue john lid has been replaced at some stage, but follows faithfully the original pattern by Matthew Boulton.

Base: 8 ¼ in; 21 cm (square)

Date: 1770
Period: 1750-1850, 18th century
Origin: England
Medium: Ormolu mounted, ‘Cliff blue vein’
Dimensions: 56.5 x 47.5 cm (22¹/₄ x 18³/₄ inches)
Provenance: The Earls of Warwick, Warwick Castle, England, and probably supplied to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746-1816).
Ronald Phillips Ltd., London, England.
Private collection, England.

Literature: Illustrated:
‘Warwick Castle-II. Warwickshire, The seat of the Earl of Warwick’ (article signed ‘F’), ‘Country Life’, vol. XXXV, issue 909, 6 June 1914, p. 848; in situ at Warwick Castle, in the Cedar Room. ‘Antique Collector’, December 1954, p. 217.
Categories: Furniture