WILLIAM BURGES (1827-1881)

From 1865-1881, William Burges was responsible for the restoring and redecorating of Cardiff Castle for the Third Marquess of Bute. He designed the interior of the Bachelor Bedroom in the Clock Tower with the theme of mineral wealth, an appropriate subject as Lord Bute's source of income was largely from his coal industries in the South of Wales in the Taff valley. Six stained glass windows in the room depicted faceted gems as leaded roundels featuring personified precious stones including 'Ruby', 'Sapphire,' 'Emerald,' 'Topaz,' 'Diamond,' and 'Pearl.' The 'Diamond' and 'Pearl' windows were displayed in the adjoining bathroom. The full-size drawing cartoons for these six roundels still exist in the Collection of Cardiff Castle (exh. cat., 1977, no. 4 and 5). It is possible these panels were made by Saunders & Co. as Mordaunt Cook notes later examples of these 'jewels' were made by Saunders & Co. for export to Hartford, Connecticut and Cleveland, Ohio.
The present lot includes these six roundels as well as three additions - 'Amethyst,' 'Peridot,' and 'Garnet.' Apart from the set still in-situ at Cardiff Castle, another at Burges' own home, Tower House in London, and a set of eight (including two extra figures 'Garnet' and 'Amethyst') discovered in 2009 in Bath, England, it is believed the present group is the only other known complete set.