A 19th Century Blue John, Jasper & Ormolu Urn

A fine early 19th century marble urn, the ormolu finial mounted on a turned and polished blue john vase and socle, all raised upon a square jasper plinth with white and black marble mouldings.

Blue John is a rare mineral, found only in particular areas of England: at Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern in Derbyshire. It is very decorative, showing bands of yellow, purple or blue; in fact, its name is a derivation of the French words ‘bleu’ and ‘jaune’. The first official reference to Blue John was made in a letter dating back to 1766 relating to the lease of the Blue John mine at Carven. Although output of the mineral was restricted, Blue John became very fashionable in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when it became incorporated into the fine ormolu mounted objects of Matthew Boulton, with whose name it is synonymous.