The beauty of Blue John

A FINE PAIR OF LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED BLUE JOHN VASES CIRCA 1770

I first became aware of Blue John or "Derbyshire Spar" while volunteering at Historic Homewood home as a tour guide. Homewood house built between 1801-1806 is located on the campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. In the family parlor of Homewood is a beautiful turned Blue John Neoclassical Garniture set on the Federal mantel. Blue John is a blue/purple and white/yellow banded variety of semiprecious mineral fluorite found only in Castleton, Derbyshire, England and at the nearby Treak Cliff Cavern. It was first used by the ancient Romans and then again beginning around 1760 when it was rediscovered. In late 18th century England, local industry centered around the production of decorative Neoclassical Adams style Roman inspired objects in Blue John such as turned vases, obelisks, inlayed marble, mantels, furniture and Neoclassical mantel garnitures sometimes outfitted with gold ormolu mounts.




The end of the Seven Years' War between England and France saw the mass importation of French ormolu objects into England in the second half of the 18th century. The name is popularly said to come from the French; bleu-jaune, meaning 'blue-yellow'. It is a fact that some Blue John was indeed sent to France for gilding by the French Ormolu workers of the Louis XVI period. The celebrated English craftsman Matthew Boulton of Birmingham saw an opportunity to produce his own versions of these objects incorporating gilt-bronze and Blue John. Matthew Boulton called the stone 'Blew John'. He worked extensively in Derbyshire marbles and fluorspars to produce a variety of highly decorative luxury objects like urns, cassolettes, and perfume burners. Boulton’s technical virtuosity is seen in both the sculpting and application of gilt-bronze mounts to the delicate semiprecious mineral stone. It became such a popular base for the ornaments that Boulton tried to lease the whole output of the Castleton mines. It has long been unclear whether the French mounts on Blue John objects were fitted in France or in England although large quantities of Blue John were exported to France.

A pair of vases in the Wallace Collection must be one of the earliest examples of Blue John mounted in French ormolu which dates to circa 1765 (Peter Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London, 1996, Vol. III, p. 1392, no. 288 F 345, 346), suggesting that the Parisian marchands-merciers were exploiting this commodity shortly after it's rediscovery.

Blue John was used to furnish the finest British houses, notably Chatsworth, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and Kedleston Hall, where it was first employed by Robert Adam. A chimneypiece designed by Adam and made by Joseph Hall or Derby was installed in the Kedleston Music Room in 1761.It is the earliest recorded use of Blue John in the applied arts.

Although Blue John is an unusual mineral from the area around Mam Tor mountain at Treak Cliff near Castleton in Derbyshire, England. This is the only known location where Blue John can be found, though other types of fluorspars are mined throughout the world.It is a difficult material to work with, as the stone is soft, brittle, and can be altered in coloration by excessive heating. Because of its rarity, the material is no longer used on a grand scale. Presently, only approximately one quarter of a ton is excavated each year and is used primarily for jewelry and small objects. Late 18th century early 19th century turned vases can start at $6,000. each and easily go for well over a hundred thousand.

Neoclassical early 19th century Derbyshire feldspar or Blue John gilt bronze mounted twin handled garniture Urn

A Pair of George III Blue John Cassolettes by Matthew Boulton 1770

Napoleon lll Blue John candelabra with ormolu

Blue John Urn and candlestick with ormolu

late 19th or early 20th century gilt bronze mounted blue john or Derbyshire fluorspar twin light Candelabra in Empire taste

English Georgian Classical urn of Blue John

An early Victorian Blue John and ormolu desk ornament

GEORGE III ORMOLU-MOUNTED BLUE JOHN WING-FIGURED CANDLE VASE BY MATTHEW BOULTON CIRCA 1772

GEORGE III ORMOLU-MOUNTED BLUE JOHN WING-FIGURED CANDLE VASES BY MATTHEW BOULTON CIRCA 1772

A RARE PAIR OF GEORGE III ORMOLU-MOUNTED DERBYSHIRE SPAR CANDLE VASES BY MATTHEW BOULTON CIRCA 1770

English Georgian Classical candle vases of Blue John and ormolu

A pair of Victorian Blue John bronze carved, gilded and patinated cassolettes. On three putti's head shaped feet, a triangular base in bronze patinated bears three balls.

                                                                                                                                                

19th Century circular blue john dish

A George III mahogany, inlaid-marble-topped side table with painted decoration circa 1790

A Regency Blue John and Slate Obelisk

A pair of Regency oak and marble and hardstone inlaid tables circa 1815

Early 19th century English Regency period Blue John clock with ormolu swan handles

Blue John and ormolu mounted Sphinx vase by Boulton, c. 1770.

A pair of Blue John stone urns on Blue John stone plinths

A REGENCY BLUE JOHN KRATER-FORM VASE, ATTRIBUTED TO JAMES SHAW CIRCA 1815

English Classical Blue John mantel vase

French 18th century Blue John vase with ormolu

Late 18th century English Georgian Neoclassical mantel with Blue John inlay into the marble

Late 18th century English Georgian Neoclassical mantel with Blue John inlay into the marble

Pair of English Georgian Neoclassical turned mantel urns of Blue John on ormolu bases