An important and rare pair of George III ormolu-mounted lapis lazuli 'Cleopatra vases' attributed to Matthew Boulton circa 1770

breaks to lapis, one small screw lacking, center interior hollow shafts later and for electricity, possibly lacking candle nozzles.

Nicholas Goodison, Ormolu: The Work of Matthew Boulton, London, 2002, p. 101-106, pls. 70-74, pp. 328-330, figs. 327-330

Beautiful quality, un-restored condition; seemingly unknown use of lapis by Boulton for this model; central interior hollow metal shafts later and fitted for wiring; each nut to the underside probably replaced; rubbing to ormolu but with a good patina; possibly once with chased lids with finials; the first lacking a screw to the flowerhead of swagged decoration o body; scratches and rubbing to gilding especially to nozzle, breaks to lapis of stepped plinths; repaired chip to one corner of stepped plinth and with minor chips where lapis is cracked; the other with rubbing to gilding; breaks to stepped plinth with chips at breaks.
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.

Known as the 'Cleopatra vase', the model of this pair of candle vases was first mentioned in a letter of Matthew Boulton to his partner John Fothergill in March 1770, when he wrote that he hoped to persuade the Princess of Wales to acquire a pair.  The use of names to identify vase-types was widely employed at the Soho factory and Boulton and his clerks' correspondence variously includes references to 'lyre', 'Bacchanalian', 'Caryatic', 'goat's head', 'griffin', 'King's', 'sphinx', 'Venus' and 'wing-figured' vases.

Nicholas Goodison's identification of this type with the so-called 'Cleopatra' vase follows from a description of four 'Cleopatra' vases that were unsold in the 1771 Christie's sale of Boulton's stock and included in a letter to William Matthews following the sale: '4 pairs of Cleopatra vases with philosopher [agate] pedestals £5 5s'; see N. Goodison, Matthew Boulton : Ormolu, 2002, pp.328-330.  Six pairs of 'candle vases radix amethysti and or moulu on a square pedestal of a curious composition' and four pairs of 'candle vases radix amethysti  and or moulu, on a square pedestal of artificial lapis lazuli' (see a pair of 'Cleopatra' vases from 'The Moller Collection', sold, Sotheby's, London, November 18, 1993, lot 98, the bodies of blue john, the plinths of artificial lapis), all from the Christie's sale,  could possibly refer to the 'Cleopatra' vase model.  The Marquess of Rockingham bought a pair in 1770, Baron Grote in 1771 ('1 pair of vases Cleopatra with medals . . . ), and the Earl of Catherlough in the same year.  A drawing for an identical candle vase (with lid and finial) in Boulton and Fothergill's Pattern Book I, p. 171, Goodison, op. cit., p. 330, fig. 330.  Unlike most 'Cleopatra' vases, most often with ormolu-framed pedestal and three-step ormolu plinth on ball feet, the present pair most closely follows the design in the Pattern Book, the ormolu elements depicted in gold with the bottom step wrapped in a leaf-tip ormolu molding, the other elements, i.e. lapis lazuli, as in this case, left white.

Boulton is probably best known for his mounted blue-john and the use of lapis lazuli for a 'Cleopatra' vase appears to be unknown although the next item in the letter to Matthews, '1 pair ditto ditto lapis ditto', could possibly indicate that it was used at his  Soho factory.  The medallions on the present pair are not of Cleopatra but of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, shown with a crown of ears of corn.  Goodison states that the medallion of Ceres, taken from James Tassie's 'impressions in sulphur of antique and modern gems', in this case from a gem in the collection of the Duke of Marlborough, op. cit., p. 105, pl. 74.3, was possibly misidentified as Cleopatra and which replaced the earliest models.  The medallion of Cleopatra, of which there are two known Boulton models, was also derived from Tassie's gem and is shown with a diadem and a veil.  Beneath the bust of Ceres is the name Aspasiou written in Greek, possibly the name of the artist.

Matthew Boulton was one of the greatest entrepreneurs working in England in the latter part of the 18th century. Involved with James Watt in the pioneering development of the steam engine, he is perhaps now better remembered for the superb decorative items that he and his partner James Fothergill produced at his Soho Manufactory near Birmingham between 1768 and 1782. These included ormolu candelabra, candle vases, sconces and clocks, many incorporating Derbyshire Spar, and also various other stones and marbles, and in some cases enameled wares. His clients included George III and other members of the Royal family together with many members of the aristocracy. These included the Earls of Chesterfield, Coventry and Sefton, the Countess of Derby, the Duke of Northumberland and Sir Lawrence Dundas.