Pair of Marble Obelisks

About the Item

Brown and Mawe Pair of obelisks Marble, Egypt style Signed Brown & Mawe 149 Strand Measures: 16 1/5" high, 4 1/2" wide, 4 1/2" depth Provenance: Private collection A rare and magnificent pair of English Regency Egyptian revival signed obelisks. The obelisks were made by the interesting combination of Richard Brown and John Mawe trading at 149 The Strand in London from the early 19th century and each obelisk is signed to the reverse. Set on stepped square bases with hieroglyphics to three sides of the base with the makers signature to the plain back. Three sides of each obelisk are covered with hieroglyphics and with each of the six sides with unique hieroglyphs. These obelisks are made from the famous Derbyshire black marble and the hieroglyphics are "proud" of the marble and the surrounding marble must have been cut away either by hand or some other method. Mawe and Brown also owned the Matlock Museum which was under the patronage of the Duke of Devonshire. Mawe was born in Derby in 1764. In early life he appears to have spent fifteen years at sea. In 1790, he became captain of the merchant vessel Trent, trading to St Petersburg. In 1793, he was apprenticed to the Derby mason Richard Brown (1736–1816), and married his daughter, Sarah, on 1 November 1794. About the end of the century he made a tour of most of the mines in England and Scotland, collecting minerals for the cabinet of the king of Spain. In 1800 he owned the Royal Museums spar shop in Matlock Bath which, through his agent, he was to enter into dispute with Thomas Pearson concerning surrounding mines. In August 1804 he started on a "voyage of commercial experiment" to Rio de la Plata funded by Portugal's Prince Regent. His missions was to assess the value of the gold and diamond industries that might revitalize Brazil's ailing economy. Mawe had reached Cadiz when war broke out between England and Spain, and he was blockaded in the town where he was taken ill and nearly died. He sailed from Cadiz in March 1805 for Montevideo, and on reaching that town was imprisoned as an English spy. He procured his liberty soon after, but was interned, and did not obtain his release till the capture of Montevideo by William Beresford in 1806. He accompanied the expedition under John Whitelocke to Buenos Aires, and on his return to Montevideo purchased a schooner and sailed to Brazil, putting in at various ports on the way, including the island of Santa Catarina. He was well received in Brazil by the prince Regent, who gave him permission to visit the diamond mines of Minas Geraes and other parts of the interior during 1809–10, and also granted him access to the government archives. Mawe returned to London in 1811, and opening a shop in The Strand, close to Somerset House, became well-known as a practical mineralogist. In 1813 he was elected to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, and in 1817 he received the diploma of the Jena Mineralogischen Gesellschaft. John and Sarah Mawe had two children, a son and a daughter. Their son, John Saint Mawe (1797–1820), died aged 22; Sarah requested in her will that she be buried beside him. Their daughter married Anthony Tissington Tatlow (1789–1828), who became a partner of Mawe's in a shop in Cheltenham in 1816. Mawe died in London on 26 October 1829. A tablet to his memory is in Castleton church, Derbyshire. His business was carried on by James Tennant the mineralogist, in partnership with Mawe's widow Sarah until 1840. Sarah Mawe had the title of "Mineralogist to Her Majesty" until she retired.

Dimensions:

Height: 16.15 in (41 cm)Width: 9.85 in (25 cm)Depth: 4.53 in (11.5 cm)

Sold As:

Set of 2

Style:

Egyptian (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

Marble

Period:

19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1800