"Accompanies the Matthew Boulton Bicentenary Exhibition, Selling what all the world desires, organized by Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery at the Gas Hall Exhibition Gallery from May to September 2009"--T.p. verso.
Contents:
Introduction / Rita McLean -- Matthew Boulton and the Lunar Society / Jenny Uglow -- "The Hôtel d'amitié sur Handsworth Heath" : Soho House and the Boultons / Shena Mason -- Picturing Soho: images of Matthew Boulton's manufactory / Val Loggie -- The context of neo-classicism / Nicholas Goodison -- Matthew Boulton's silver and Sheffield plate / Kenneth Quickenden -- "I am very desirous of being a great silversmith" : Matthew Boulton and the Birmingham Assay Office / Sally Baggott -- Ormolu ornaments / Nicholas Goodison -- The Solo steam engine business / Jim Andrew -- "I had L[or]ds and Ladies to wait on yesterday ..." : visitors to the Soho manufactory / Peter Jones -- Matthew Boulton's mints : copper to customer / Sue Tungate -- "Bringing to perfection the art of coining" : what did they make at the Soho mint? / David Symons -- A walking tour of the three Sohos / George Demidowicz -- How do we know what we know? The Archives of Soho / Fiona Tait -- Catalogue entries 1-404
Summary:
Explains how Boulton, a Birmingham "toy"--Maker producing buttons, buckles and silverware, went into business with James Watt and exported Boulton & Watt steam engines all over the world. His determination to discourage counterfeiters led to a contract to manufacture British coinage at his mint, and his ormolu ornaments decorated aristocratic drawing rooms.
