A Very Fine Pair of George III Ormolu-Mounted Blue John and White Marble Candle Vases by Matthew Boulton circa 1775

the richly colored Blue John Derbyshire Spar ovoid bodies with finely cast, chiseled and gilded mounts, the fluted candle nozzles with collars of stiff leaves and reversing to foliate ornamented domed covers with gadrooned finials, the bodies with guilloche collars and ribbon-tied reeded arched handles with foliate terminals and set within collars of stiff leaves above turned socles with collars of over-lapping laurel leaves on square plinths, the white marble drum bases with collars of  gadrooning and petal-form leaves.

Jeremy Ltd., London

Overall very good condition with usual very slight wear to the extreme edges of the ormolu; slight staining overall to the white marble.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The design and various decorative elements ornamenting these candle vases are closely related to a number of designs preserved in Boulton and Fothergill's manuscript Pattern Books, particularly those on pages 170 and 171 in the first volume. The first of these shows a candle vase of similar form with arched handles with foliate terminals supported on a stepped base with ball toes, the other showing a perfume burner with a different cover, plain arched handles and on a drum base similar to the present examples; in both drawings the bodies are of a more elongated form. (See:  Nicholas Goodison, Matthew Boulton: Ormolu, pp. 303-304, figs. 275 and 276). An almost identical pair of candle vases, but with white marble bodies and bases is illustrated by Goodison, op. cit., fig. 276.      

 

See:
Nicholas Goodison, Matthew Boulton: Ormolu, London, 2002, p.p. 302 -304, figs. 272, 275, 276