A REGENCY BRASS AND BLACK SLATE THREE-LIGHT CANDELABRUM ATTRIBUTED TO VULLIAMY & SON, CIRCA 1810 AND
Details
The three lights with acanthus decoration and drip pans above a black slate column with three lion masks joined by draped chains and pendants on a circular base with knurled collar, formerly with six arms, some elements later replaced 231⁄2 in. (59.5 cm.) high; 13 in. (33 cm.) wide
Lot Essay
Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854) of 68 Pall Mall, was the third generation in his family's clockmaking firm and became clockmaker to King George III and his son, the Prince Regent, later King George IV. This three-light candelabrum, with its Tuscan pillar of ormolu-enriched and black marble-polished slate, follows similar designs in the manner of Vulliamy's candelabra conceived in the French/antique manner that was popularised around 1800. Its ormolu calix of palm-wrapped Roman acanthus derives from the 'Barbarini' Roman tripod-candelabrum that the architect Charles Heathcote Tatham illustrated in his Etchings representing the best examples of Ancient Ornamental Architecture, 1799. Tatham, who visited Rome while assisting the architect Henry Holland in his work for the Prince of Wales at Carlton House, also introduced this calix form on the silver candelabra, which he designed in 1801 and illustrated in Designs for Ornamental Plate, 1806. It featured again on some caryatic candelabra that Vulliamy provided in 1806 for the Prince of Wales (J. Harris et al., Buckingham Palace and its treasures, New York, 1968, p. 156). One of the latter set bears the date 1811, and this same date appears on a set of four candelabra with 6-lights that Vulliamy may have supplied to Edward, Viscount Lascelles (d. 1814) for his London mansion in Hanover Square, and now at Harewood House, Yorkshire. The present model appears to have been altered from six lights to three lights. Another pair of six light candelabra was supplied to Samuel Whitbread II (d. 1815) and was inventoried at Southill, Bedfordshire as 'black Therms' decorated with lions (F. J. B. Watson, 'The Furniture and Decoration', Southill, A Regency House, London, 1951, p. 31, fig. 37). The slate for all these candelabra is likely to have been supplied by Mr. Walmesby of Lambeth (F. Wadsworth, 'Some early 19th Century workmen', Antiquarian Horology, Summer 1991, p. 410). A pair of candelabra of the same model was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 14 November 1996, lot 105. A single candelabrum from the collection of Humphrey Whitbread, a descendant of Samuel Whitbread, was sold Christie's, London, 5 April 2001, lot 406 (£42,300 with premium).
Details
The three lights with acanthus decoration and drip pans above a black slate column with three lion masks joined by draped chains and pendants on a circular base with knurled collar, formerly with six arms, some elements later replaced 231⁄2 in. (59.5 cm.) high; 13 in. (33 cm.) wide
Lot Essay
Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854) of 68 Pall Mall, was the third generation in his family's clockmaking firm and became clockmaker to King George III and his son, the Prince Regent, later King George IV. This three-light candelabrum, with its Tuscan pillar of ormolu-enriched and black marble-polished slate, follows similar designs in the manner of Vulliamy's candelabra conceived in the French/antique manner that was popularised around 1800. Its ormolu calix of palm-wrapped Roman acanthus derives from the 'Barbarini' Roman tripod-candelabrum that the architect Charles Heathcote Tatham illustrated in his Etchings representing the best examples of Ancient Ornamental Architecture, 1799. Tatham, who visited Rome while assisting the architect Henry Holland in his work for the Prince of Wales at Carlton House, also introduced this calix form on the silver candelabra, which he designed in 1801 and illustrated in Designs for Ornamental Plate, 1806. It featured again on some caryatic candelabra that Vulliamy provided in 1806 for the Prince of Wales (J. Harris et al., Buckingham Palace and its treasures, New York, 1968, p. 156). One of the latter set bears the date 1811, and this same date appears on a set of four candelabra with 6-lights that Vulliamy may have supplied to Edward, Viscount Lascelles (d. 1814) for his London mansion in Hanover Square, and now at Harewood House, Yorkshire. The present model appears to have been altered from six lights to three lights. Another pair of six light candelabra was supplied to Samuel Whitbread II (d. 1815) and was inventoried at Southill, Bedfordshire as 'black Therms' decorated with lions (F. J. B. Watson, 'The Furniture and Decoration', Southill, A Regency House, London, 1951, p. 31, fig. 37). The slate for all these candelabra is likely to have been supplied by Mr. Walmesby of Lambeth (F. Wadsworth, 'Some early 19th Century workmen', Antiquarian Horology, Summer 1991, p. 410). A pair of candelabra of the same model was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 14 November 1996, lot 105. A single candelabrum from the collection of Humphrey Whitbread, a descendant of Samuel Whitbread, was sold Christie's, London, 5 April 2001, lot 406 (£42,300 with premium).
