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Lamp with Vestal Reading: MAR.C.4 & A-1912

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An image of Lamp
Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Titles

Lamp with Vestal Reading

Maker(s)

Factory: Wedgwood
Designer: Saint-Non, Jean Claude Richard de (After)
Modeller: Tebo

Entities

Categories

Description

Black basalt, moulded in the form of a lamp standing on a square plinth with cut corners. The parts are held together by a rod and a brass disk and circular nut. The vestal reading is seated on the opposite end to the spout, and the top has a small oval cover

Notes

History note: Unknown before testator

Legal notes

C.B. Marlay Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 23.8 cm
Length: 24 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley

Dating

18th Century, Late-19th Century, Mid
Circa 1800 - 1850

Note

In the Wedgwood Shape Book (54.30019), no. 216 is described as 'the lamp with the figure with Book'. It also appears in the Shape Book with 1794 water-mark rebound in 1916. It was made in 9½ in and 1 in sizes. This lamp and its pair are probably nineteenth century copies of the lamps made during the Wedgwood and Bentley period.

The shapes of this lamp and the lamp decorated with a vestal filling a lamp were based on designs by Jean Claude Richard de Saint-Non (1729-91). They were modelled by Tebo. Josiah Wedgwood wrote to Bentley in London on 5th November, 1774, `Mr Tebo, our new modeller, did not return here of some days after me, I am glad he did not for he would have made a shocking ugly thing of the lamp, if he had been left to himself.' (MS E.25-18561) On the 16th he wrote again, 'Mr Tebo is modelling the two lamps from St. Non but goes on very slowly'(MS E.25-18564).

School or Style

Neoclassical

People, subjects and objects depicted

Materials used in production

Black basalt

Techniques used in production

Moulding : Black basalt, moulded. The parts are held together by a rod and a brass disk and circular nut

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: WEDGWOOD
  • Location: On the plinth
  • Method of creation: Impressed
  • Type: Factory mark

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: MAR.C.4 & A-1912
Primary reference Number: 11163

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Lamp with Vestal Reading" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/11163 Accessed: 2025-12-06 01:37:59

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/11163 |title=Lamp with Vestal Reading |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 01:37:59|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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