THE NORTHUMBERLAND VASE

A George III ormolu mounted Blue John wing figured vase by Matthew Boulton.
Note: The acorn finial and the black marble base are of later date.
Matthew Boulton produced several versions of the wing figured vase, but according to Nicholas Goodison only one vase was delivered without a plinth base. This highly important piece of information links this vase to the Duke of Northumberland:
For the Duke of Northumberland delivered at the sale…
A wing figured vase without a pedestal £14 s 14 d 0
We have to assume that the Duke had a special use for the vase which made a stone base unnecessary, because on its own without a base the vase looks somewhat unfinished. The current base that we have had made specially is merely a display platform on which the vase can stand without being attached. Further research in the Percy family archives may in due course reveal how the vase was originally displayed.

Literature: Nicholas Goodison, Matthew Boulton: Ormolu, 2002, p. 363, ill. 371.
Nicholas Goodison and Robin Kern, Hotspur - Eighty Years of Antiques Dealing, 2004, p. 110.

Provenance

Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, Northumberland House, London, England;
Private collection, USA;
Frank Partridge Ltd., London, England;
Ronald Phillips Ltd., London, England;
Private collection, Germany.