Rare and fabulous pair of Early 19th Century Triton Candlesticks by Wood & Caldwell. English lustre pottery, circa 1815. Now mounted as storm lanterns (also called hurricane lanterns or hurricane lamps).

Why we like them

The origin of Tritons can be traced back to Greek mythology, where Triton was the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Amphitrite, the sea goddess. Triton was often depicted as a messenger of the sea, blowing a conch shell to calm or raise the waves. In art and literature, Tritons have been featured prominently in various cultures, particularly in Greco-Roman art and later in Renaissance and Baroque art. They were often depicted in sculptures, paintings, and decorative art, symbolizing the power and influence of the sea. Tritons became popular motifs in decorative art during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, where they adorned fountains, architectural elements, and other decorative objects. They were often portrayed as powerful and majestic beings, embodying the awe and mystery of the ocean. The imagery of Tritons has persisted through different art movements and continues to be a popular motif in decorative art and design, representing themes of maritime adventure, exploration, and the beauty of the sea.

Wood & Caldwell

An identical candlestick can be found in Victoria & Albert museum in London and is pictured in 'Old English Lustre Pottery' by W.D. John and Warren Baker; R.H. John Ltd, Newport, England, 1951 (see images). Various figures by Wood & Caldwell are held at the major museums, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and The British Museum in London, among others. According to the description of the firm in the above mentioned book: Enoch Wood was born in 1759 and after early training under Josiah Wedgwood and Henry Palmer he became a master potter in Burslem about 1781-1784, probably continuing with his father's business which he rapidly extended. Like the other members of his family he was a capable modeller and during the next forty years produced many forms and figures which can readily be recognised, ranging from the early ones of John Wesley and George Whitfield to those of the Emperor of Russia, Shakespeare, St. Sebastian, the Countess of Harrington, George III, Handel, Falstaff, Diana, Duke of Wellington, and in later years, of George Washington (c. 1818). In 1790 Enoch Wood was joined in the business by James Caldwell of Linley Wood, of whose activities only meagre information is available: he probably had little to do with the pottery and assisted Enoch Wood with financial aid for expansion. This partnership continued until 1818 when Enoch Wood was able to gain complete control by purchasing his partner's interest : soon afterwards he took his sons into the business, which was known as Enoch Wood and Sons, Burslem. For the next twenty vears it was verv successful: Enoch Wood died in 1840 and his extensive potteries were closed by his sons in 1846. During the twenty-eight years in which James Caldwell was associated with him in Burslem, Enoch Wood developed his natural talents as a modeller and practical potter to the maximum, and produced his most attractive examples of both domestic and artistic earthenware. Following the lead of Josiah Spode the Second and of Josiah Wedgwood the Second, he quickly adapted the new lustreing processes for the ornamentation of almost every variety of commercial earthenware, and without the slightest doubt, between 1805 and 1818, Messrs. Wood and Caldwell ranked as one of the largest producers of gold, silver and pink lustred wares in Staffordshire : their pink lustreing especially attained a most remarkably fine colour tone with a rich sheen and velvet-like appearance.

The origins of Triton candlesticks in England: Sir William Chambers & Wedgwood connection

Wedgwood has been making Triton candlesticks since the early 1770s. According to the 1995 exhibition titled 'The Genius of Wedgwood' at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London catalogue entry (see one of the images), "[Josiah] Wedgwood refers to this pattern in a letter of November 1769: 'Mr Chambers lent me the model of the Triton Candlestick, & was to have the first pair as a present, pray make my comp', with them'. These were presumably made in Basalt, and versions in Jasper were in production by 1787. Triton candlesticks are listed in the 1773 Catalogue, where they are said to be from Michael Angelo. The pair to the triton supplied by Chambers to Wedgwood was probably modelled by John Bacon, a sculptor who also worked for Duesbury's Derby factory, where the design was produced in porcelain (Cat. D40). Similar tritons also appear in the pattern books of Boulton & Fothergill, who in 1771 sold a 'tryton in dark bronz'; the model for this was probably obtained from either Wedgwood or Chambers." Sketches of Tritons from Sir William Chambers's Franco-Italian Album, held at Victoria and Albert Museum in London, are also offered among the images to this listing.

Dimensions

Height: 21.25 inches / 54 cm
Width: 5.5 inches / 14 cm
Depth: 5.5 inches / 14 cm