THE GODOLPHIN PIER GLASSES ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN BELCHIER
W: 34” / 86.25cm
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Provenance
Francis Godolphin (1678-1766), 2nd Earl of Godolphin for Godolphin House, Cornwall or Stable Yard, St. James’ Palace, London and by descent
Property of a Nobleman, Christie’s London, 7 April 1983, lot 51 (GBP 60,000)
Acquired by Henry Francis Dupont, Winterthur Museum, Delaware, reputedly for his private collection
Christie’s, New York, 2 February 1991, lot 208 (USD 143,000)
Christie’s New York, 22 April 1999, Lot 143
Private Collection: East Coast, USA
Literature
Bowett, A., Early Georgian Furniture 1715-1740 (Woodbridge, 2009) p. 292, plates 6:50-1
Child, G., World Mirrors 1650-1900 (London, 1990), p. 78, fig. 51
Cornforth, J., Early Georgian Interiors (London, 2004), pp. 280-85
Edwards, R. and Jourdain, M., Georgian Cabinet-Makers, rev. ed. (London, 1946) p. 99, fig. 33
COMPARE
Pier glasses supplied by Belchier in 1723 and 1726 for John Meller, Erddig Hall, Wales (NT 1146961 & NT 1146960)
Mirror attributed to Belchier in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Accession No. 46.116)
Mirror illustrated Synge, L., Mallett’s Great English Furniture (London, 1991), p. 89, fig. 94
Publications
Beard, G. and Goodison, J., English Furniture 1500-1840 (Oxford, 1987), p. 67, fig. 4
An Exceptional Pair of George I Gilt Gesso Pier Glasses
Attributed to John Belchier, Circa 1725
Commissioned for the Godolphin Family
Overview and Design
This exceptional pair of George I gilt gesso pier glasses, attributed to John Belchier, represents the finest in early 18th-century English design. Boldly conceived and intricately carved, each features a stepped arched frame enriched with vigorous acanthus scrolls, eagle-head terminals, and a heraldic dolphin crest—a motif unmistakably associated with the Godolphin family.
The pierced crestings, deep relief carving, and original mercury mirror plates reflect the superb craftsmanship characteristic of Belchier’s workshop. Architecturally strong yet richly ornamental, the mirrors embody the theatrical grandeur of the Baroque while anticipating the restraint and symmetry of the Palladian style.
Comparative Examples and Documentary Parallels
These mirrors compare closely with the two pier glasses supplied by Belchier to Erddig Hall, Wales, for the principal bedchambers—on 15 July 1723 and 6 June 1726—at the considerable sums of £36 and £50. The earlier example shares this pair’s stepped rectangular form, while the later 1726 mirror shows striking parallels in its bold scrolls and eagle heads.
The £50 price paid for a single mirror in 1726 highlights the exceptional value and prestige such objects held at the time of commission.
Belchier’s Oeuvre and Workshop Characteristics
The present mirrors align closely with other works attributed to Belchier, including:
• The stepped pier glass in the Untermyer Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Another formerly with Gerald Hochschild
Both feature the same distinctive combination of scrollwork and eagle-head terminals. Belchier, described in the London Evening Post as “a very eminent cabinetmaker”, was one of the foremost artisans of his generation. His work at Erddig Hall, likely including the celebrated State Bed, is his best-documented commission, and eagle-head carving appears both on that bed and the present mirrors—further strengthening the attribution.
Heraldic Dolphin and Godolphin Patronage
One of the most distinctive and unusual features of these mirrors is the carved dolphin naiant in the pediment—clearly a heraldic device indicating commission by a titled patron. While the dolphin naiant appears in several noble coats of arms, it is most plausibly linked to the Godolphins of Helston and Rialton, Cornwall, where the dolphin had served as a family emblem since the 16th century.
Comparable dolphin imagery can be found in the National Trust’s collection (NT 169408)—parcel-gilt dolphins believed to have functioned as helmet crests for Sir William Godolphin.
Probable Patron: Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin
The likely patron was Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin (1678–1766), a senior courtier and government official. He held a number of prestigious roles, including:
• Lord of the Bedchamber
• Groom of the Stole
• Governor of the Scilly Isles
His uncle, Dr Henry Godolphin, was Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, where Belchier had his premises and supplied furnishings—providing a likely link between patron and maker. Francis’s marriage to Lady Henrietta Churchill, daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, placed the Godolphins at the centre of 18th-century aristocratic and political society. Notably, he was also one of the founding governors of the Foundling Hospital and the owner of the Godolphin Arabian, one of the foundation sires of the English thoroughbred.
Later Provenance: The Winterthur Museum
These mirrors also boast a prestigious 20th-century provenance, having been acquired by Henry Francis du Pont and held in the renowned Winterthur Museum collection. Their inclusion in this highly respected institution further underlines their historic and aesthetic significance.
Conclusion
Combining exceptional craftsmanship, iconographic specificity, and a direct link to both an eminent maker and a prominent aristocratic family, this pair of George I gilt gesso pier glasses stands among the most important survivals of early Georgian mirror design. Their originality, provenance, and artistic merit place them in the highest tier of 18th-century English decorative art.