Not currently on display at the V&A

Sconce

1707-1708 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

One of a set four silver sconces of bracket form supporting a single candle arm decorated with the coat of arms, crest and coronet of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry (1662-1711) of Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire. Such luxurious lighting equipment was supplied for use in the rooms of state equipped in readiness to receive the monarch. These sconces may have hung in the State Bedroom at Drumlanrig Castle. The armorials of the Duke of Queensberry could be easily seen in the candlelight and would serve as a symbol of the Duke's high social standing.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, cast and chased.
Brief description
Sconce, silver (one of a pair), London hallmarks for 1707-08, mark of David Willaume.
A cast bracket formed of four panels; a pedestal supports a scrolled branch with nozzle and drip pan for the candle; the upper part is chased with a coat of arms surmounted by a crest and ducal coronet.
Physical description
One of a pair of sconces, silver, cast backplate divided into four panels, the lowest being a pedestal, above which springs the broken scroll branch with cast grease pan enclosing a socket for a candleshade. The upper part of the plate is decorated with the coat of arms and supporters above which is the crest surmounted by the Garter surmounted by a ducal coronet.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50.3cm
  • Length: 17cm
  • Weight: 123g
Style
Production typeLimited edition
Copy number
Number 4 of a set of four
Marks and inscriptions
  • W I between 2 stars - Grimwade, 1990, pp. 226 for David Willaume.
  • London hallmarks for 1707-08.
  • Arms and crest of James, Second Duke of Queensbury, K.G.
Gallery label
Sconce David Willaume I, Britannia Standard, London, 1707-8 Embossed and chased with the arms of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensbury. The frame, added around 1800, held a glass shade.(2002)
Credit line
Purchased from Christie's 29 May 1963 lot 15.
Object history
Exhibitions: Loan Exhibition, 25 Park Lane 1929, No.780; the sconces were in the Brownlow Collection prior to the sale at Christie's 29th May 1963

Made in London by David Willaume the elder (born in Metz, France, 1658, died, probably in Tingrith, Bedfordshire, before 1741).Son of Adam Willaume goldsmith from Metz and Anne Philippe his wife, born 7 June 1658. Willaume I most likely learnt his trade from his father or another Metz goldsmith. His denization appears in State Papers, under date 16 December 1687, where the name is spelt Williamme (or Villiamme). Recorded at Windsor Castle, Charing Cross from 1686, by which time he probably reached London. He married Marie at the French Chapel of La Patente, Spitalfields, 19 October 1690. Marie was the daughter of Samuel Mettayer, Minister of that church and sister of Lewis Mattayer. Free by order of the Court of Aldermen as David Williams 27 January 1693/?4. Livery, October 1698. Court, February 1724/5. First mark as largeworker, undated, probably April 1697 on commencement of register. Address: ‘in pell-mell’. Second and third marks added to the first entry, 29 January 1719. Address: St. James’s Street. Fourth (Sterling) mark, 27 July 1720, same address. Recorded as David Willaume senior, goldsmith and banker, London, 1674-1712, of which the first date is erroneous; and at the sign of Windsor Castle, Charing Cross, 1686-9;and the sign of the Golden Ball, Pall Mall, 1697-1712. Was in St. James’ Street by January 1719 where he is recorded as keeping ‘running cashes’ (ie banking); the 1720 entry appears to be in his son’s hand, although he was not free until 1723, presumably acting for his father.
Willaume’s children were Anne, born 1691,who married the goldsmith David Tanqueray; David, born 1693, Adam born in 1694; Suzanne born in1696; the two younger children died in infancy. David Williaume makes frequent appearances in the Huguenot church registers of London as witness or godfather. He was an outstanding member of the Huguenot community.
He stood as godfather to David Surel at Hungerford Market Church, 5 August 1688, and ‘assisted’ at the marriage of his sister-in- law Marie Mettayer to Simon Gribelin, the engraver, 1 January 1691 at La Patente, Spitalfields.
Willaume seems to have retired about 1728 (when his son David II entered a mark distinctly different from his father’s) and purchased the Manor of Tingrith, Bedfordshire in 1730, where the family settled, inter-marrying with another Huguenot family theTanquerays and later being styled Tanqueray-Willaume. David WIllaume the elder died before 22 January 1741.
Willaume enjoyed the patronage of the wealthiest clients in England from the later part of the reign of William III to the end of George I’s reign. For further information on David Willaume the Elder see T. Murdoch, 'Autour des Willaume. Orfévres messins établis à Londres et Cassel', in Huguenots De la Moselle à Berlin, les Chemins de L'Exil, Editions Serpenoise, 2006 French edition of exhibition catalogue also published in German to coincide with the exhibition at the Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, 2006, pp.127-144.




Historical context
Supplied for James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensbury probably for one of the state rooms at Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire.
Production
The sconce is one of a pair from a larger set of four. The back is inscribed N4. The previous lot in the Christie's sale represented the two additional sconces from this set. Their current whereabouts is unknown.
Summary
One of a set four silver sconces of bracket form supporting a single candle arm decorated with the coat of arms, crest and coronet of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry (1662-1711) of Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire. Such luxurious lighting equipment was supplied for use in the rooms of state equipped in readiness to receive the monarch. These sconces may have hung in the State Bedroom at Drumlanrig Castle. The armorials of the Duke of Queensberry could be easily seen in the candlelight and would serve as a symbol of the Duke's high social standing.
Associated object
M.18-1963 (Set)
Bibliographic reference
For further information on David Willaume the Elder see T. Murdoch, 'Autour des Willaume. Orfévres messins établis à Londres et Cassel', in Huguenots De la Moselle à Berlin, les Chemins de L'Exil, Editions Serpenoise, 2006 French edition of exhibition catalogue also published in German to coincide with the exhibition at the Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, 2006, pp.127-144; the sconce is illustrated p.133
Collection
Accession number
M.18A-1963

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Record createdSeptember 10, 2004
Record URL
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