The Home Beautiful: The Neptune Candelabrum, 1818-1819

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Known for its triumphant depiction of the god Neptune, this magnificent candelabrum is adorned with a figure of the Roman god of the sea, depicted kneeling on a sea horse or hippocamp, on a rocky base cast and chased with shells and a host of other sea creatures. Neptune, as usual, bears a trident in his left hand and supports, with his right, a shell from which a hydra (that wacky mythical many-headed snake) springs out to form the branches which hold the candles.


Made between 1818-1819, this was just one part of a massive table garniture ordered by the Duke of York. In 1827, when the Duke of York’s silver was auctioned, the catalog listed the candelabrum as attributed to the antiquarian and silver retailer Kensington Lewis, whose trade card described him as “Silversmith and Jeweller to his R. H. the Duke of York.”


And, certainly, The Duke of York was Lewis’ most important patron.  Lewis’  business suffered enormously after the Duke’s death.

Unusual Artifacts: A Cast Iron Fireplace with Ceramic Tiles, 1905

The Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria & Albert Museum is filled with almost anything imaginable from toys to diapers and diamonds to entire rooms from houses.  So, it’s not surprising that we should see an entire fireplace from 1905 in their collection. 

This fireplace is an example of the sort of modern fireplace which came about in the early Twentieth Century--its raised grate was developed when coal replaced wood as the standard domestic fuel.

Like others of the era, this fireplace is made of cast iron and set with decorative ceramic tiles. Cast-iron fireplaces were made of flat plates cast in moulds and then assembled later.  Iron founders such as Carron and Coalbrookdale offered a large range of fireplaces in their catalogs in a variety of styles and tile colors.  The tiles serve as decoration, but also to reflect the heat efficiently. 

This particular cast-iron fireplace came from a house in Chiswick.  It is stamped with the name and address of the original founder, Planet Foundry Co. Ltd, Guide Bridge, Manchester.

Her Majesty's Furniture: The Bainbridge Firescreen, 1850

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This firescreen rests on trestle supports with turned and gilded uprights.  The frame is panel glazed and set with stuffed birds.  This unusual, yet handsome, piece comes from Great Britain and was made circa 1850. 

This is so very Victorian in design.  This was an era when taxidermy birds and animals were considered fashionable and appropriate accessories employed in a variety of uses.  Victorian artists were fascinated with nature and the culture as a whole was intrigued with the idea of exploring the natural world. 

Of course, as new animals were discovered, these same explorers were determined to find uses for their beautiful fur and plumage—not thinking that entire species would die out.  In one way, this use of animals is tragic, and, yet, we are somewhat fortunate in that many extinct species are still viewable because they’ve been preserved in works of art such as this. 

Many fire screens were employed to keep the direct heat of the fire off of those seated near the hearth.  This fire screen would not have been good for that.  Taxidermy and fire don’t mix.  Instead, this would have made a handsome showpiece in the summer, hiding an empty, unused hearth.   

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 423

Mr. Punch gently placed his coat over Adrienne’s shoulders, making sure to see that Fuller—still asleep in his mother’s arms—was also covered.

“But, you will be cold, dear Punch,” Adrienne shivered.

“Nah, I ain’t the sort what gets cold, I ain’t.  ‘Sides, I’m much too excited to feel nothin’ but happy.”

Cecil nodded, putting his arm around his wife and child.

“I don’t mean to be the voice of gloom,”  Robert began.

“Why not?”  Cecil winked.  “You always are.”

“But, we’re not quite out of harm’s way yet.”  Robert grumbled.

“Sure, we’re not.”  Punch shrugged, “but we’re closer than we ever were before.”  He pointed to the dock which began to dance with the light of the sunrise on the flickering water.   “Soon ‘nough we’ll be on a ship back to England.”

“Assuming that the others join us in time.”  Robert frowned.

“Listen, chum, I know we got lots ‘bout which we can fret, but, still, we got to think good thoughts.  If we think it’ll happen as we ‘xpect, then it will.”

“Mr. Punch has the right idea.”  Cecil nodded.  “Gerard and Gamilla have their orders.”

“I know they won’t let us down,”  Marjani smiled.  “They’ll be here.”

“And what of your friend with Colin?”  Robert asked.

“You’ll never find a more determined woman than Mama Routhe, you won’t.”  Punch interjected. “’Cept maybe Marjani and Adrienne here.”

“Thank you, dear Punch,”  Adrienne grinned.

Marjani blushed.

“And what of Iolanthe and Marie?”  Robert scowled.  “Are they not determined?”

“Well, sure they are.”  Punch sighed.  “But, we got the power of good on our side.  Listen, Marjani says that Mama Routhe will be here, and I believe her.  I was with the lady, I was.  She were right kind to us and she understood that she should be here with me nephew at sun-up.  Well, it ain’t all sun-up yet.  She’ll be here.  If it’s the Ogress and the Voodoo lady you’re worried, ‘bout.  Well, don’t you think they got other things goin’ on?  Don’t forget—Iolanthe’s wounded.  No doubt she’s wrapped up in her bed like some kind of old dead woman what’s found in them pointy buildings in Egypt—you know, like what me pa found.”

“A mummy.”  Robert smiled slightly.

“Sure, that were it.  Only I can’t figure why they’d get such a nice name as that.  Adrienne’s a mummy and she’s pretty and nice.  Them old dead ladies ain’t so much.  But, still.  As for Marie—ain’t it a fact that a woman what’s with-child ain’t gonna want to wander around in the cold?”

“I didn’t care to,”  Adrienne chuckled, “but, who can tell about Marie?”

“Well, we ain’t gonna think about it.”  Punch smiled.  “We’re only gonna think good things.  You hear?”

Robert nodded.

“Good.”  Punch grinned.  “I’ll bet ya that Mama Routhe is on her way here right now and that Gerry and Gamilla will be here with Columbia and Toby and me puppet and all our things the next we look over our shoulders.”

“You’re quite right,” Cecil said joyfully, pointing behind Mr. Punch as Gamilla and Gerard came forward in the distance, emerging from the mist of the docks in a cart pulled by a mule.

“There’s my girl,”  Marjani sniffed, her eyes filling with tears as she spotted her granddaughter in the cart.  “Who’d have ever thought Columbia’d see a fine place like London, England?  Who’d have ever thought I would?”

“Well, we’re all gonna.”  Punch whooped.  “Just as soon as Mama Routhe gets here.”

“Yes,”  Robert nodded, turning his head so that Punch would not see his nervous frown.  “Just as soon as she gets here.”

Did you miss Chapters 1-422?  If so, you can read them here.  

Sculpture of the Day: The Thomas Parr Spill Vase, 1852

The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the early to mid Nineteenth Century, matches were rather costly, and, so, alternative ways of lighting candles (and cigars) were employed.  Spills—thin pieces of wood or rolled paper) were kept on the mantle in spill vases.  These bud-vase-like pieces allowed for easy access to the spills which were used to transfer fire to other, smaller uses such as candle lighting.
Here, we see a spill vase depicting popular actors Jenny Marston and Frederick Robinson as Perdita and Florizel from Shakespeare’s “A Winter’s Tale.”   The couple is standing on a base styled like a mound of earth, behind them is a tree in the shape of a spill vase.

Celebrated Nineteenth Century stage stars were often depicted as ceramic figurines, especially by Staffordshire factories who specialized in molded earthenware portrait figurines.  Marston and Robinson were favorite subjects.  They are seen here in Scene iii of a revival of “The Winter's Tale,” which was performed at Sadler's Wells Theatre in July of 1851.

Object of the Day: Toby Vesta Case

Yesterday, we looked at one of my Christmas gifts—a sterling silver Mr. Punch vesta case or match safe. Now, let’s look at his companion. Naturally, it’s the Dog Toby. This vesta case in sterling silver depicts Mr. Punch’s most faithful friend, Toby—complete with his little macaroni hat, looking quite dignified.

Both Punch and his canine friend are rendered in the style of the original “Punch” Magazine cover.

Mastery of Design: Lady Abingdon's Cartier Cigarette Case, 1934-5

The Victoria & Albert Museum

The height of fashion for the 1930s, this rectangular gold case features a pattern of parallel engraved lines and a chased line border. It is adorned with diamonds set in platinum in a double key motif in the upper left corner.

Made by Cartier between 1934 and 1935, this case was sold in London to Lady Abingdon whose collection was bequeathed by Mrs. T.R.P. Hole to the V&A.