Sir John Soane's Museum Drawings

 

The copies of design and working drawings including full size details were all made (together with a copy of a letter originally dated 28 February 1784) by John Sanders after 1 September 1784 when he was articled to Soane for six years. It sometimes thought that Soane worked without assistance until Sanders's arrival.  But that is not the case since a number of drawings from very early in Soane's career have been attributed to Robert Baldwin (fl.1762-c.1804). There were also other ad hoc draughtsmen including Christopher Ebdon (1744-1824) who had worked with Soane in the office of Henry Holland in the 1770s.   Soane's office Journal has an entry for 10 February 1784 that includes 'Mr Branthwaite 3 sections 1 elevation 1 plan ... Ebdon, 4 days, self 3' and in the office 'Accompt book / from 1781' a note of 14 January 1785 states (without giving the job) 'Paid C Ebdon in full for drawings to this day 5.50'.  

Soane's addition of two new wings containing a drawing room and dining room were, with the old house, demolished for a new house built in 1858-9.  The walls of the walled garden remain and were Soane's work.  Unexecuted, was his design  for a bath-house, for which he charged three guineas on 7 September 1784 (SM Note Book 13).  A sketch design for the bath is in the Victoria & Albert Museum see P.du Prey, Sir John Soane, 1985 in series of 'Catalogues of architectural drawings in the Victoria and Albert museum', catalogue 117, plate 24.   

There is an entry for Mr 'Branthwayt' in SM Ledger A that mentions,'Two drawings of designs for Cold / Baths' that with other designs for an eating room and a drawing room are marked 'Drawings not executed' (sic).  Presumably meaning, that the reception rooms were not executed to these designs. 

Literature.  P. du Prey, John Soane: the making of an architect, 1982, pp.14-16, 18, 231;  P. du Prey, Sir John Soane, 1985, in series of 'Catalogues of architectural drawings in the Victoria and Albert Museum', cat.117, plate 24;  D. Stroud, Sir John Soane architect, 2nd ed.1996, p.242; P. Dean, Sir John Soane and the country estate, 1999, p.170

 

 

Purpose:

Record copy of letter from Soane To M.S.Branthwayte Esqre dated 28 February 1784

Aspect:

Dear Sir // I am honored with your obliging Letter, & am exceedingly / happy to hear that the Drawings have yours & Mrs Branthwayte's / approbation.  I should have proposed a plan for removing the / Kitchen entirely out of the House but from the fear of being thought / desirous of leading you into more expence than you intended, which / on all occasions I shall hope & endeavour to avoid. // I do not think there would be any great objection to the / situation of the doors, however they may be most easily removed . / / I hope soon to have the pleasure of seeing you in Norfolk, / & am with respectful Compts to Mrs Branthwayte. // Your much oblidged Sert.

Hand:John Sanders  (pupil 1 September 1784-90)
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Purpose:Record copies of design and working drawings for a new eating room, c. early 1785 (8)

 

 

Aspect:2 Plan and laid-out wall elevations

3 Details of wall Entablature &c with egg and dart mouldings, water-leaf on cyma reversa moulding and frieze with detail of three poppy heads and crossed ? batons ( a motif used also for Letton Hall, drawing 42, q.v.)

4 Details of egg and dart mouldings for large panels and panels over door, mouldings for base and impost and an ornamental detail of Vine Leaves & / Stalks twisted / round the / Thyrsus as in / the Section

5 Elevation of six-panelled door with fluted frieze bearing a plaque with pitcher and festoon

6 Details of Entablature to the Doors and The same Architrave to / the Window

7 Details of Part of one of the Shutter Pannells / with the moldings at large

8 Elevation of chimney-piece with fluted frieze and jambs, the frieze ornamented with urn, crossed thyrsus, and mask of Bacchus with vine leaves 

9 Details of Entablature for the Chimy / Piece

 

Hand:2-9 John Sanders (pupil 1 September 1784-90)
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Purpose:

Record copies of working drawings for the drawing room, April 1785 (2)

Aspect:

10 The Section of the End of the Drawing Room / next the old House, Half the Section of the Drawing Room lengthways and details of mouldings

11 Entablature for the Drawing Room at Taverham

Hand:10-11 John Sanders (pupil 1 September 1784-90)
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Purpose:

4444

Aspect:
Hand:
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