A large and heavy pair of composite stone sphinx, indistinctly…
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A large and heavy pair of composite stone sphinx, indistinctly signed Croggon. William Croggon married the daughter of Eleanor Coade who ran the famous Coade stoneworks in Lambeth, London. Height 86 cm,. Length 105 cm. Provenance: Estate of John Lawford.

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  • Coade Stone - Coade stone is a type of artificial stone that was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was invented by Eleanor Coade, who ran a factory in London that produced the stone. The stone was made by mixing together finely ground quartz, kaolin, and feldspar with a binder, such as lime. The mixture was then molded into shape and fired at a high temperature to produce a hard, durable material.

    The stone was prized for its durability and resistance to weathering, making it ideal for use in architectural elements such as columns, cornices, and balustrades. It was also used to create decorative sculptures and garden ornaments. The stone was used in many prestigious buildings including the Royal Opera House, the Bank of England and Lambeth Palace.

    Coade stone was also used to make a variety of decorative items such as vases, urns, and statues. It was highly prized for its ability to be shaped and sculpted into intricate designs, and was also known for its ability to imitate other types of stone.

    The Coade stone factory closed in 1833, but the techniques and formulas used to make it were kept secret, so it was not possible to replicate it.
  • Coade Stone - Coade stone was the most famous of all the artificial stones popular at the end of the 18th century, because it had a very fine, hard finish, which resisted London 's acid rain and outlived natural stones. As well, it was cheaper than real stone, and could be used to make architectural embellishments, statuary and ornaments that retained their definition. It was made by the remarkable entrepreneur Eleanor Coade in a factory in Lambeth in the late 18th century. The factory closed in the early 19th century, but the manufacturing process has been revived in a new business bearing the same name in the late 20th century.

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