Two Argand lamps

Matthew Boulton (1728 - 1809)

Soho House

1) circa 1795; 2) circa 1809

Ami Argand came to England to find a manufacturer to assist him in the successful production of a revolutionary new lighting system and entered into business with Boulton. The lamps were finally produced in the 1780s to improve on candle power and emit no smoke. The lamps differ greatly in style, one lamp is highly ornamented and the other is a more severe neo-classical example. The lamps will be featured in the Boulton bicentenary exhibition at Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery in Summer 2009.

• Artists Include:
• Ami Argand

• Medium: Sheffield plate
• Dimensions: 1) 54 x 33cm; 2) 63 x 38cm
• Art Fund Grant: £7188 ( Total: £23,961)
• ArtFunded in: 2008
• Vendor: Private collection, USA

Provenance

Private collection, USA. On loan to Soho House from 1995 to 2004.

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