Lot 133: A GEORGE III COADESTONE FIGURE

Signed and dated Coade London 1791 The female figure standing with a sicle in her right hand and wheat in her left with wheat in her hair, standing on a demilune base inscribed 'Autumn' on a later plinth, inscribed twice B698X and Autumn 75in. (190.5cm.) high, 23in. (58.5cm.) wide, 20in. (51cm.) deep PROVENANCE Purchased from Plaza Art Gallery by French and Company, Inc., New York in 1959 (originally a set of four figures representing the four seasons). Acquired from French and Company, Inc., New York, 19 August 1960 ($1,700). NOTES Coadestone, a manufactured stone meant to mimic limestone, was made from a mixture of ground glass, flint, sand, clay and petrified clay, a combination which often turned out to be more durable than the stone it was imitating. The mixture was then poured into molds, dried, fired in kilns and finished by hand. The technique was pioneered by the mother-daughter team, both named Eleanor Coade when the elder married the artificial stone manufacturer Daniel Pincot and established their kiln at Lambeth, in London. Their efforts were immediately successful as the firm was able to produce, at great speed, high quality pieces. By the early 1770's they had teamed up with the neoclassical sculptor John Bacon, who was to remain their leading designer until his death in 1799. Coadestone was supplied to architects and used in many interiors for fireplaces, plaques and other architectural elements. And since it withstood the frost, it was put to great use as outdoor ornament and garden sculpture as well. While the present lot is on a base inscribed Autumn, the figure appears to represent the vestal figure of the corn-bearing harvest deity Ceres, emblematic of Summer. A related Ceres features in an engraving of the kiln published in the European Magazine, 1784, and was listed in Coades' 1784 catalogue. A set of the Seasons of the same measurements, was acquired by Earl Fitzwilliam and another related Ceres was supplied for the Orangery at Burton Constable, Yorkshire in 1789 (see A. Kelly, Mrs Coades Stone, Reading, 1990, pp.62 and 131). The present lot formed part of a group of four statues representing the seasons and intended for the garden. The four seasons remained together when they were purchased by French and Company in 1959. A similar model, possibly also part of what was a similar group is illustrated in A. Wilkie, 'Coade Stone', Elle Decor, May 2001, p.84. Christie's would like to thank Angus Wilkie for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.