Pinewood mantelpiece with metal appliqué and marble shelf, ca. 1775, probably made by Messrs Boulton and Fothergill of Soho Works and Snow Hill, Birmingham.

Pinewood mantlepiece decorated with applied base metal mouldings, originally silvered. The shelf is made from marble. Below the cornice, which is decorates with two borders of acanthus foliage in base metal, is a frieze of three panels. The lateral panels are sunken and similarly decorated with husks festoons, the central panel with vessel with satyr-heads handels. The columnar jambs are similarly decorated with honeysuckle pendants supported below mask paterae by plinths of addorsed nymph figures with lion feet.

Probably made by Messrs Boulton and Fothergill of Soho Works and Snow Hill, Birmingham.

It was stated by the vendor that the mantelpiece had been removed rom a house in Chichester designed by Robert Adam. There is however no record, in Architecture of Robert and James Adam (A.T. Bolton 1922) or in drawings at the Soane Museum that either Robert of James ever executed architectural drawings for houses in Chichester.

In The Life of Josiah Wedgewood (1866) E. T. Meteyard writes, “Boulton had at this time [1775] taken up the trade in chimney-pieces, and, unlike Wedgewood, won the patronage of the builders. The cornice, friezes and jambs were of wood, decorated with thin ornaments, which when painted as one with the wood had the effect of fine carving.” Shortly after proposal fell through for a partnership between Matthew Bolton and the celebrated Henry Clay (1775-6), of Newhall Street, Birmingham, manufacturer of japanned and paper-mash goods, Boulton “added the business of cabinetmaking to the already multifarious works at Soho, and introduced painted cartoons and cameos into various kinds of decorative furniture.”

In this, Boulton was guided by the example of William Storer, who on 10th August 1774 took out a patent (Specification no.1068) for “Making, Chasing and Imbossing in Lead all sorts of Grandioles, Frames for Pier-Glasses, Tablets, Friezes, and Brackets for chimney Pieces and Rooms, and of as Durable as if made in Copper or other Metal.” In 1775 Messrs. Wedgewood and Bentley were in treaty with Storer with a view to partnership in respect of this process. In view, however, of Storer’s dubious business position, Wedgewood set forth his “Reasons for breaking with Mr. Storer”, now preserved among the MSS. Thereupon Messrs. Boulton & Fothergill, described by Wedgewood in a letter to Bentley as “Boulton, Fothergill and Eginton”, the last referring to Frances Eginton (1738-1805) then a colour printer working at Soho, took up “the trade we laid down at Chelsea, only instead of casting, they make their ornaments in dies, by which the work is perfectly sharp.” It appears, however, that Mr Storer took “a more honest and worthy course”, and “re-established himself in business.” In various ways, “but especially in this of chimney-pieces” the business relations between Etruria and Soho became extensive. Nevertheless, “the chimney pieces in wood with tin ornaments of Soho were the toys of the hour…” More and more Bouton became absorbed with the steam engine, till at length Wedgewood wrote to Bentley that “certain steam engines have lifted a good friend of ours above his watch-chain and sleeve-button business.”

W. R. Lethaby writes in Leadwork old and ornamental and for the most part English (1893) “The delicacy applied enrichments so much used in work influenced by the practice of the Brothers Adam are in the best work of lead; case with extraordinary delicacy in relief figure panels after the manner of the antique, or fragile garlands, vases and frets. Much of this work was used in the internal decoration of Somerset House. The accounts under 1780 shoe payments to Edward Watson – for lead pateras from 2 1\2d to 10d each; nineteen ornamental friezes to chimney pieces £10. 17s. 8d.; lead frieze to the bookcases in the Royal Academy Library at 2s. 0d. per foot; 137 feet run of large lead frieze in the exhibitions room at 4s.”
 

W.16-1939