Who was William Burges? (1827-1881)
William Burges was articled to Edward Blore and then assisting Mathew Digby Wyatt, Burges' first gothic revival furniture designs came when the Yatman family commission him in 1858. Burges openly acknowledged Viollet-le-Duc's engravings as his continental-gothic inspiration even though he conducted his own continental drawing tour. His cantor lectures for the Royal Society of Arts were published as 'Art Applied to industry' in 1865.
In 1864 he superseded George Edmund Street in being in charge of church plate for the Ecclesiological Society. he worked for the Marquess of Bute from 1969 until his death, supplying designs for his Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch. He also supplied wallpaper designs to Jeffrey & Co.
Being born into a financially comfortable family meant his commissions for people other than himself, are scarce.
Ref. Charlotte Gere and Michael Whiteway, Nineteenth-Century Design, From Pugin to Mackintosh, Appendix of Architects, Designers and Manufacturers, pages 280-298, George Weidenfeld and Nicholson Ltd, 1993.
Do we have anything by William Burges in stock? Please contact us to enquire.
Portrait (watercolour over photograph) of William Bfrom the National Portrait Gallery, late 1870's.
Sold to Mount Stuart House
William Burges' maquette for Lord Bute's Cruet, 1877.
Provenance: Mount Stuart, Scotland.
Sold to Mount Stuart House.
William Burges' maquette for Lord Bute's Cruet, 1877.
Provenance: Mount Stuart, Scotland.
Sold to Mount Stuart House.
William Burges' maquette for Lord Bute's Cruet, 1877.
Provenance: Mount Stuart, Scotland.
Now in the collection of The Higgins Museum, Bedford.
William Burges's 'Edinburgh Dossal' Jade bowl, 1870.
Designed by William Burges for his own use.
The abbreviated Latin inscription-
"WIL’ BURGES: ME: F: F: EX: HONORARIIS: PPTER DOSSALE: EDINBURG'NSE: COLLATIS: MDCCCLXX"
Translates as -
"WILLIAM BURGES HAD ME MADE FROM THE FEES EARNED FOR THE EDINBURGH DOSSAL 1870"
Now in the collection of The Higgins Museum, Bedford
William Burges's 'Edinburgh Dossal' Jade bowl, 1870.
Designed by William Burges for his own use.
The abbreviated Latin inscription-
"WIL’ BURGES: ME: F: F: EX: HONORARIIS: PPTER DOSSALE: EDINBURG'NSE: COLLATIS: MDCCCLXX"
Translates as -
"WILLIAM BURGES HAD ME MADE FROM THE FEES EARNED FOR THE EDINBURGH DOSSAL 1870"
Sold to the Marchmont House Collection
The Mermaid & Merman chairs, 1870.
Designed by William Burges
Sold to the Marchmont House Collection
The Mermaid & Merman chairs, 1870.
Designed by William Burges
Sold to the Marchmont House Collection
The Mermaid & Merman chairs, 1870.
Designed by William Burges
Sold
Three painted chairs, c.1870
Designed by William Burges
Sold
Three painted chairs, c.1870
Designed by William Burges
Sold
Three painted chairs, c.1870
Designed by William Burges