A MATCHED PAIR OF WEDGWOOD BLACK BASALT VESTAL OIL LAMPS, IMPRESSED MARKS, ENGLISH, FIRST HALF AND LATE 19TH CENTURY, each in the Neo-Classical taste with one beautifully modeled as a seated Vestal Virgin in classical robes and leaning forward while holding a ewer, preparing to pour the oil into the now lidded opening of the ancient oil lamp upon which she sits, itself decorated with a gadroon detailed neck above acorn and oak leaf trim in relief partitioned by margeurite blooms, over the navette form body with tapering sides detailed with single stiff acanthus leaves alternating blossoming bell flower stems ending on a floral stems decorated knob stem and spreading circular gadrooned socle, raised on a rectangular plinth with rope twist trimmed sides centering large paterae issuing anthemion branches and canted corners of margeurites, underside impressed, "WEDGWOOD" and "ENGLAND," and possibly a "W" surrounding a circular aperture revealing a square brass nut tightened onto a metal washer, height: 8 5/8", length: 8 1/4"; together with the companion oil lamp also beautifully modeled as a seated Vestal virgin in matching robes but reading an open book while seated on a virtually identical ancient oil lamp, differing only in the ring knobbed stem and rectangular plinth with sides of small paterae blooms issuing anthemions and canted corners repeating same paterae, underside impressed, "WEDGWOOD / B," and a small incised curling mark, centering a circular brass domed nut tightened on a circular brass washer, height: 8 3/4", length: 8 1/4". Note: These Neo-Classical style black basalt oil lamps are often referred to as the Vestal and Reading lamps and are after the designs of Jean Claude Richard de Saint-Non (French 1729-1791) an antiquarian, print maker, and artist. They were originally modeled in 1774 by a Mr. Tebo a newly employed modeler that Mr. Wedgwood was not impressed with at first as evidenced in his letters to Mr. Bentley. Apparently he felt that if he had not been there Tebo would have made "a shockingly ugly thing of the lamps if left to himself." This changed within weeks when he comments on Mr Tebo to Bentley that he is modeling the lamps but is taking a long time. The originals had a tripartite base and less decorative embellishments but by 1800 they were detailed rather tastefully with more Neo-Classical motifs and on a rectangular base with canted corners as seen here. Provenance: Estate of Robert William Guynn, Houston, Texas.

Some expected surface wear, one having more apparent age than the other. As noted, these are a matched pair and one appears decidedly older than the other. The precision craftsmanship is apparent. One interior with an tube extending from spout's interior. Debris and apparent wear. The bases are the most contrasting with one having extra decoration. The interior of one with apparent brass joining area, possibly a repair.