Sessional papers online

Ella potra a ta? epoca dinger cola le sue lettere.

" Se il suo Sig. Figlio fosse per intrapendere nel ven-
ture Maggio un Viaggio in Italia, potrebbe a suo piacere



Digitized by VjOOQIC



191

scegUere nella nomerosa mie Galleria di Gessi, ci6 che 182U
gli potesse convenire.

" Presentandole quindi i miei piu sinceri ringrazia-
menti ; la prego dei miei piu rispettosi ossequi alia deg-
nissima sua Signora Consorte, e figlio, econ la maggior
considerazione e stima passo al piacere di dirmi.

" Di lei gentilissimo Signore.

** Dev. oflF. servitore,



^*^- >ot/^ ^Uhiy



" A Mons. Edward Thomason, Consul de France,
Birmingham, Angleterre/'



On July 19th, His Majesty's Coronation was to take
place, and two months prior, having heen informed that
Mr. Wellesley Pole, the Master of the Mint, had recom-
mended Pistrubcdj a foreigner, and the celebrated stone
cameo engraver, to make the Coronation Medal die, I
was convinced that England, and even Birmingham, now
possessed artists equal to that artist as medal die en*
gravers ; and hearing that Pistrucci was well aware that
he could not engrave medal dies unless he performed it
by his beautiful mode of engraving antiques, I expected
he would not succeed ; and I was determined to make a
fine large medal for that occasion, with a classical allego-
rical reverse.

I had a gold one deposited, as a present from me to his
Majesty, in good time into the hands of Sir B. Bloomfield
on the morning of the Coronation. See his reply.



Digitized by VjOOQIC



192



182K



presents his compliments to Mr. Thomason, and having
had the honour to present his superh gold medal to the
King, is commanded to express his Majesty's thanks
and admiration of it, and his sense of Mn Thomason's
dutiful attention.

Carlton House, 27th July, 1821.

hegs leave to express his thanks to Mr. Thomason for
his great kindness in forwarding to him a beautiful coro-
nation medal.

Carlton House, 27th July, 1821.



** Northumberland House,





has received

Mr. Thomason's beautiful specimen in the coronation
medal, on the complete success of which he congratulates
Mr. Thomason.
** July 23rd, 1821.**

I was desirous to present his Imperial Majesty Alex-
ander I. of Russia my series of forty-eight bronze medals
of the Elgin marbles, in a splendid morocco case. I was
well informed that there was great difficulty in obtaining
leave to be honoured with the permission to tender a



Digitized by VjOOQIC



A BRONZE MErALLIC VASE^BEIHC A FAITHFUL COPY OF THE MAftBLE ONE AT
VITARVVICK CASTLE)21 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE, AND 5 FEET K) INCHES IN HEtONT,

MANUFACTURED BY EDWARD TMOMASON^ IT OCCUPIED « YEARS TO MODEL,

CAST, AND TO SCULPTURE, AND WAS BRONZED IN DUCrrOXlOE IN ie£0.
AND ACQUIRED A PER OXIDE IN 1829.



Digitized by VjOOQIC



Digitized by



Google



Digitized by



Google




BenveriAito Celluus Knocker SciUpturtl
und Fla/:ed^ Sv JTiim^ uv ihe^ Year 1563. on^ ike
Front Door of Sis Residence al^ Flory^nce,



193

present to the Emperor. I therefore addressed a letter 1821.
to our ambassador there, together with my petition to
the Emperor ; and the whole of which packet, with the
case of medals, I inyoked my esteemed friend, Mr. C. R.
Broughton, of the Foreign OflSce, to forward for me.
See his letter.

" Foreign Office, July 2Sd, 1821.
" My dear Sir,

" The bustle occasioned by the Coronation must
plead my apology for not havuig sooner answered your
letter of the 18th instant. It will afford me much gra-
tification to testify, by something more substantial than
mere verbal assurances, the sense I entertain of the atten-
tions you shewed me when at Birmingham ; I shall there-
fore have great pleasure in taking charge of the little
parcel you describe, which shall be sent by the first
courier charged with dispatches for Petersburg ; and I
will write to our Ambassador there, to request his Excel-
lency will cause your present to be delivered to the
Emperor of Russia.

" The packet being too bulky to send by the common
post, it must remain with me until a messenger goes.
You have only to direct it to me at this office : I will
take great care of it.

^ Yours very truly.




" Edward Thomason, Esq.'*

"Teddesley, Sept. 9th, 1821.
" My dear Sir,

" Mr. Canning will be passing through
Birmingham on Tuesday next, and would be happy to
o



Digitized by VjOOQIC



194

1821* see your manufactory in the course of the morning, if
perfectly convenient to you. He cannot exactly fix the
hour, as he will he at Mr. Boulton's, and will prohahly
haye something to see there in the morning.
" I remain, my dear Sir,

"Very faithfully yours.




« To E. Thomason, Esq."

"Liverpool, 11th Sept, 1821.
"Dear Sir,

" When I had the honour of seeing you
at Birmingham, on my journey to this place for the pur-
pose of embarking for Greenland, I received from you
that flattering kindness I have very often thought of, and
which will never be erased from my recollection j this.
Sir, has urged the liberty of this address to thank you
warmly from my heart, and to say it is my intention on
getting to Birmingham, which will be in a very few days,
personally to offer you my sincerest acknowledgments, if
leisure will permit to spend a few hours in your society.
In the hope a brief statement of what has passed since we
met may amuse, I shaU trespass on your time in stating.
A voyage to Greenland, as a whale fisher, is among the
most interesting expeditions that can be undertaken ; and,
although that frigid region is annually visited by many,
the circumstances and occurrences are scarcely known.
But to those who derive gratification in examining subjects
of remote countries, the polar world affords an inexhaust-
ible source of delight ; there an active mind can never
flag or be wearied by sameness. No sooner do you enter



Digitized by VjOOQIC



195

the ice than masses of congelation present themselves in 1821.
the most yaried forms the imagination can fancy, and
some of extreme elegance and chaste classical taste ; from
them I was perpetually pleased, and afforded constant
employment to my pencil. These extraordinary forms
are, as you must naturally suppose, modelled by the hand
of Nature, of elaborate whiteness, polished by the con-
tinual vibrating motion of the ocean, and often tinted in
colour exquisitely delightful to the eye of an artist A
coimtry so extremely favourable to the beautifid process
of crystallization, and for observing congelating action,
there cannot be ; and here the philosopher is interested,
beyond conception, in the extraordinary features produced
by refraction. The lover of natural history has a wide
field in the large scale of Nature. The sportsman finds
endless resources ; but he who enjoys pursuits in which
great danger and enterprise are attendant, nothing can
equal the attack of an active vigorous whale or ferocious
polar bear, which makes the tiger hunts of Asia very,
very tame, and I had the good fortime to be engaged '
with some of most extraordinary nature. I informed
you, when I had the pleasure of seeing you, what was
the object of my visiting the arctic regions — that of im-
provement in the whale fishery ; but I concealed from the
world, as well as yourself, the nature of and design of the
implement by which such improvement was to be effected
until the best opinions could be formed by the most
experienced persons on them, and I had seen the animal
they were designed to take, and made my own observa-
tion on the present system, which has established the
important value of my productions. The ship in which
I sailed were so bigoted to the usual manner, and have
most dearly paid for their folly, having killed only four
o 2

Digitized by VjOOQIC



196

1821. large fish, and lost ten, every one of which I would have
killed had they allowed me to use my gun. In the early
part of the season fish were in abundance ; then they
would not allow me to proceed, and, as if a judgment
had fallen on them, from the time I was at at liberty, we
sailed through 1500 miles of ice, where water and situa-
tion is known to be most favourable to whales, not a
fish was seen, and I had only the opportunity of dis-
playing its excellence on an unicorn, which, although
passing with extraordinary swiftness, my harpoon went
through it ten yards. But my great object was a hand
harpoon, on an entire new principle, with shells to pro-
duce instant paralysm and death, and carcasses contain-
ing a gas most destructive to life. The harpoon will
most effectually secure the animal that forms so important
a part of British commerce. The shells and carcasses,
to be applied when the fish is struck with the harpoon,
has humanity as well as great utility to recommend
them, in preventing the fatal accidents that so often
occur to the crews of boats when capturing what are
termed wrecked fish, by which one man in the Vigilant
was killed, and three from the Ann, a Scotch ship, this
season, and not a year passes without some such calamity.
They will also quickly exterminate the torture the fish now
so often undergo for many hours, consequently destroy the
barbarity often unavoidable, which has called forth on the
whale fishery the clamorous indignation of some who
possess the finer feelings of sensibility. I have been
thus minute, as I am anxious, while at Birmingham, to
learn if there are any persons at that place in the manu-
facture of implements, or who would be likely to treat
with me for the making the many that will be required,
as every commander of whale ships that came on board



Digitized by VjOOQIC



197

to see thern^ aCDd solicited me to visit their ships while in 1821.
Greenland, gave me their warmest approbation of their
utility, and assurance that, on their return to port, they
should most strongly recommend them to their owners
for use.

** I shall bring with me a journal kept, minuting every
observation of the country, and containing many into-
resting circumstances ; my sketch-book will also accom-
pany me ; and if their perusal will tend to afford you any
amusement, it will give me very great gratification.
May I request the favour of your leaving a note at the
bar of the Hen and Chickens, and state what time of the
day you are most at leisure.

" I am, my dear Sir,
** Your very much obliged humble servant,



^. ^^^u^



" Prav excuse haste.'



** Sea Point House, Dublin,

24th Sept., 1821.
"Dear Sir,

" I did not fail on my arrival here to wait
on my friend Mr. Grant, and delivered to him the design,
in which you assisted me, for a medal, together with
a memorandum that, if his Majesty approved of it, you
had engaged to have it executed in the best manner
possible. Mr. Grant has just informed me that he gave
it to Lord Sidmouth, with my letter, to lay before the
King, and that the design was highly approved by his
Majesty ; I am, therefore, in hopes that Lord Sidmouth
has seen you on the subject, as he passed through Bir-
mingham on his return to London. You will much oblige

Digitized by VjOOQIC



198

1821. me if you will have the goodness to infonn me whether
this is the case, and that you have received orders to
proceed in it. Please to address me under cover to Sir
E. Lees, Post Office, Dublin.

" I have the honour to be, dear Sir,

" Your most obliged humble servant,




** P.S. I beg to offer my best respects to Mrs. Tho-
mason/'

" Brighton, 7th Oct., 1821.
"Dear Sir,

" As I shall remain here for some months,
you will oblige me by directing the wine coolers, with
the other articles ordered, to be forwarded to me here.
I am anxious to shew the coolers, as they only require to
be seen to be admired ; and I assure you it will afford
me great pleasure to have the opportunity of giving you
some wine from them, as well as of forwarding your other
views.

Lady Tiemey and Miss Jones often mention your very
kind attentions to us, and will have great pleasure in
thanking you again personally should you visit this
place during our stay ; or Dover-street, in the spring. I
beg you to accept my best thanks for all your polite
attentions, and to believe me to be
" Dear Sir,

" Your obliged and humble servant,



^-^JZc




Digitized by VjOOQIC



199



" Dear Sir, 1321.

" My friends, the Prince and Princess San
Cataldo, and the Count and Countess Sant Antonio, are
going this day to Birmingham, and wish to view all the
manufactories. They are scientific; and the Prince is
much interested in things of this kind. They are of the
highest nobiUty of Sicily. I shall feel obliged by your
showing them, not only your manufactory, but any other
they may wish to see.

" Believe me to be,

" Yours ever truly,




« Arley Hall, Oct. 22d, 1821.'*

**Teddesley, Nov. 19th, 1821.
" My dear Sir,

^* I have communicated to the Duke of
Wellington the correspondence I have had with you
relative to the wish of yourself and other gentlemen at
Birmingham to shew him the principal manufactories of
the place. The melancholy occurrence adverted to in
your letter would have rendered this an unfavourable
moment for a visit ; but, independently of that circum-
stance, the necessary shortness of the Duke's stay in the
country would have made him desirous of seeking ano-
ther opportunity of having that pleasure. And he has
desired me to say that on some more favourable occasion
he hopes to make a visit to the town ; and that he would.



Digitized by VjOOQIC



200

1821. any future time come down for that express purpose,
remain, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours,




To E. Thomason, Esq."

" Whitehall Place, Dec. 7th, 1821.





^^'^l^^ presents

his compliments to Mr. Thomason, and is very much
obliged to him for the trouble he has been so good as to
take in forwarding the medals, which have arrived quite
safe.

** Mr. Huskisson trusts that he may, on some future
occasion, be enabled to profit by Mr. Thomason's obli-
ging offer of assisting him in the more detailed view of
the very interesting and ingenious manufactories of Bir-
mingham. Mr. H. particularly regretted that his very
short stay in Staffordshire prevented the possibility of
his profiting by Mr. Thomason's kindness at this
period."

1822. In February, 1822, I finished a pair of medal dies for
Robert Gilmor, Esq., of Baltimore, to commemorate
that his father and mother had lived in the marriage
state in perfect harmony 50 years. The dies were done
from models sent me ; the obverse the likeness of Mr. and
Mrs. Gilmor, and the reverse corroborating the event.
A large number, consisting of gold, silver, and bronzed.



Digitized by VjOOQIC



201

were struck off agreeable to Mr. Robert Gilmor's order, 1822.
and the whole highly approved.

In March there was much conversation about a person
calling herself the Princess of Cumberland, as being the
niece of George III., &c., &c. She sent me a highly
coloured design for the obverse and reverse of a star,
calling it the Royal Ancient Order of the White Eagle
of Poland. In the garter. Pro Rege, Lege, et Orege.

The Royal Ancient Order of the White
Eagle of Poland.



This ancient order is a star with seventeen golden
points terminated with brilliants — say a mina nova. In
the centre, on a crimson ground, is a spread white eagle,
covered with brilliants — say mina nova, armed, and im-
perially crowned, with the zodiacal sign " y^^ (Capricorn)
below, surrounded with a blue belt edged with small
green stones in imitation of emeralds, with the motto (in
gold) Pro Rege^ Lege, et Grege (for the King, Law,



Digitized by VjOOQIC



20«

1822. and People). The Reverse an Imperial Crown sur-
mounted with the double cro8s» with the motto ** Hahent
sua sidera Regis,*' and containing the following ac-
count, surrounded with foliage or leaves : — " This
distinguished ancient Order of the White Eagle,
granted only to Crowned heads, warriors, and other
meritorious personage, of which order Olive, Prin-
cess of Cumberland, of the illustrious House of
Brunswick, kingdom of Great Britain, and Princess
Royal Poniotwiski, of the kingdom of Poland, niece of
King George III., grand niece of the last Augustus,
King of Poland (bom 3d April, 1772), is the only legi-
timate patroness by descent, is conferred by the Princess,
as a mark of friendship and merit, on William Henry
Augustus Fitzstrathem, D. of L., et B. F., &c.*' The
ground of the engraving to be silver j the hole for the
ribbon to be above the crown.

Wm. H. a. Fitzstrathern,
Private Secretary to the Princess of Cumberland.
London, 25, Alfred Place, Bedford Square,
1st March, 1822.



List of Order required.

1st. One for the Princess of Cumberland's self, the
engraving for whom is to terminate at the word
"descent,** which may be more properly expressed
Royal descent

2d. Another for Miss Lavinia Janetta H. De-
serres.

3d. Another for William Henry Augustus Fitzstra-
thern, D. of L. et R F., &c.

4th. Another blank, to be afterwards filled up.



Digitized by VjOOQIC



203

"25, Alfred Place, London, 1822.

24th March, 1822.
"Sir,

" Haying occasion for four orders of the White
Eagle of Poland, of which I am, by my hereditary
illustrious descent. Royal patroness on the continent,
and being informed by Messrs Pemberton, Son, and Co.,
of your town, that you are fully qualified to execute the
same with ingenuity and taste, I have to request you
will perform the workmanship for me, according to the
ancient plan of this famous order of my Royal ancestors,
as sent to Messrs. Pemberton, who will deliver the
drawing of the order to you, and which may hereafter
be of some consequence in the way of your profession.
Were it possible, I should be glad, sir, if you could finish
as many of them for me against the 25th of the next
month as possible, as I expect some of the foreign
princes, my cousins, across every day, whose inspec-
tion of your workmanship I trust will be gratifying to
all parties.

" The ear-rings, brooch, and comb of mina nova, of
which I made mention to Messrs. Pemberton, will, like-
wise, be required, and which you can execute at your
leisure, in a bold pattern. Were I rich, as I am not at
present, I should have employed the finest brilliants on
my commission ; and in the execution of your workman-
ship I doubt not you will combine elegance with
economy^ for which you shall be honourably rewarded
and patronized.




Digitized by



Google



204

1822. ** Nota Bene. On comparing the old records, it ap-
pears that the reverse of the order is not tipt with gold
on the projecting angles (as improperly coloured on the
copy transmitted), but simply silver^ curved and lined as
below. The main face of the order is gold, and contains
a beautiful white eagle, as represented in the commission.^

"The Princess of Cumberland, bom in Warwick-
shire, will always feel a love for her native county ; in
better times it will be her pleasure to visit it and Bir-
mingham ; and if Messrs. Thomason have confidence
in her honour, she will, in a short period, remunerate
any order they may execute. At present, being inconve-
nienced by a delay of several thousands owing to her, she
wishes the orders to be finished in good paste and in gold,
and a bold Poland comb, &c., to be done.




" Mr. Thomason, &c.. Church Street.'*

I had seen all the gold and silver plate that belonged
to the King, and I had informed myself, by enquiring of
the several foreign Ambassadors, the style and character
of the superior gold and silver gilt services of plate in
the possession of the diflerent Courts of Europe. I was
convinced that in no one instance was there to be found



Digitized by VjOOQIC



205

a complete service of plate that could be styled, on the 1822.
whole, classical. In most of them there were a few
standing pieces, such as the centre pieces and the wine
coolers. I was desirous that my native town should have
the opportunity and honour of making a truly classical
service ; and for the embodying the designs I did not
see that I could take my stand with so much success as
at the Acropolis, at Athens. I could not spare so
long an absence from my establishment as to be able
to visit that place j I therefore, had recourse, for my
authority, to the publication of Spon and Wheeler.
I was of opinion that the Temple of the Parthenon
would of itself famish the whole, or nearly so; and
when I speak of a service of plate, I mean fit)m the
massive long plateau down to the salt cellars ; and
I felt convinced that the whole of the pieces might be
embodied out of the eastern or front tympan, which is
the birth of Minerva.

The western or back tjrmpan, which is the dispute
between Minerva and Neptune for the possession of
Attica.

The metopes — the victories obtained by Theseus
against the Centaurs and the Amazons.

The eastern frieze, consisting of religious rites and
ceremonies.

The southern ditto, consisting of oxen led as victims.

The northern ditto, the citizens and strangers at
Athens carrying upon their shoulders baskets filled with
various kinds of offerings.

The western ditto, the flute players and the performers
on the lyre, who preceded the old men of Athens to the

fSte.

And these would require —



Digitized by VjOOQIC



206

1822. i8t The plateau.

2d The centre for the plateau^ the Parthenon.
ScL The candelabra.
4th. The wine coolers.
5th. Soup and sauce tureens.
6th. Curry dishes and warmers
7th. Meat dishes, soup plates, and dinner plates.
8th. The candelabra.
9th. The tall flaggons.
10th. The salt cellars.

Having arranged my ideas for accomplishing the same,
I had the designs beautifully drawn in colour, by the
celebrated draughtsman. Lines, and placed in an elephant
folio book, handsomely bound, &c., each design occupy-
ing one page, and observations made and reasons given,
in writing, on the left hand page, with an address to the
King on the first leaf.



Digitized by VjOOQIC



207

"To His Most Excellent Majesty King Geokge 1822.
THE Fourth.

" May it please your Majesty,

" As heaven has mspired your Majesty with such great
taste for the fine arts, that your Majesty not only studies
their theory, hut often is graciously pleased to conde-
scend to honour the inventor of any work of art with
the inspection of it, I am encouraged to hope that your
Majesty may deign to look over the accompanying draw-
ings which I have projected, with the intention of their
heing applicable for a classical service of plate.

** After much labour, attention, and expense, I have
established in my manufactory modellers, chasers, and
sculptors, in OT'Tnolv^ silver, and bronze, whose works
begin to be appreciated by the public, and by the inha-
bitants of this great commercial town, where the arts
have lately taken root, and are progressing, and its in-
habitants looking up with gratitude to your Majesty as
the grand promoter of scientific art connected with the
manufactories of your Majesty's dominions.

** On enquiry respecting the different services of plate
generally spoken of in Europe of any celebrity, I have
never heard of one that can be termed classical. These
reflections gave confidence to my feelings, that I should
not incur your Majesty's displeasure in an attempt to put
to paper my ideas on this subject, and your Majesty will
perceive that I have taken advantage of those traces of
Grecian taste that adorn the Acropolis at Athens.

"Offering your Most Gracious Majesty my most
grateful homage, I remain ever your Majesty's most
dutiful and loyal subject,

" Edward Thomason, of Birmingham.
**May, 1822."

Digitized by VjOOQIC



Digitized by



Google



<

2
O
Z

u

X

I-



o.
Z



X
h
o
Z

3
O



U

o

bl

X



U
N



X



<
z
ec
o



z
o



u

o



X

h



Digitized by



Google



Digitized by



Google



209



I. THE PLATEAU 1822.

Being, perhaps, the most important piece, as its situation
on the table is always so favourable for general view,
I propose that the border, or the top edge of it, shall
be embellished with the procession that ornaments the
frieze of the cella round the Temple of the Parthenon
at Athens ; this subject admitting the greatest variety
of Athenian characters, representing

The Caniphori, with sacred baskets of articles for the
sacrifice.

The Archophorij or bearers of leathern bottles filled
with wine.

Jupiter and Minerva^ and various divinities and
deified heroes.

Oxen led as victims for the festival by the Athenian
women.

Athenian Warriors^ armed with shields, placed in
chariots with two and four horses.