Rider, Thomas and Bazing, William

Introduction:

RIDER and BAZING (fl 1793) was a short-lived London-based partnership between glassmaker and profilist Thomas Rider (dec. after 1793), and goldsmith and jeweller William Bazing (1762-1812). From 1784, painting accomplished profiles - mainly on glass, Rider also promoted a broad range of engraved and enamelled glassware, and Bazing possibly became Rider's employee prior to trading as his partner, for within months of Rider's first recorded profile, Bazing would, in February 1785, complete his 7-year apprenticeship. Certainly the enamelling and engraving of Rider's wares required the skills of a goldsmith and jeweller, and Bazing was both.

Considering the partnership's brief duration, it's perhaps unsuprising only 2 trade labelled profiles are recorded. Both are painted on glass, one on flat, one on convex glass, both are of the 'standard' height of 3 3/4" (9.5 cm), both are above the commonplace and both are examples of Rider's often individualistic methods of presentation.

Painted on flat glass, the 1st profile is backed with plaster overlaid with gold leaf. Another ca.1785 example is illustrated in McKechnie. Rider's trade labels advertised works '...on a Gold Ground in a manner entirely new', and though prevalent on the Continent, they were certainly a new offering for home consumption. However, the rarity of profiles and the absence of professsional imitators suggests the style attracted little custom in Britain.

The 2nd profile housed in an oval giltwood frame, was finely painted on convex glass and backed with 'topaz' tinted gessoed glass. Rider was the sole London-based artist backing likenesses with gessoed glass, only itinerant profilists Richard and Walter Jorden (fl.ca.1776-ca.1786), Mrs.Ames (fl.1785-1787) and Thomas Johnson (fl.ca.1788-ca.1792) of Harrogate, Yorks, applied the same decorative trait.

In addition, complementing the 2nd profile is a superbly crafted enamelled verre églomisé surround, McKechnie stating it was 'as well executed as any...[she had seen]...on the work of Mrs.Beetham', which is praise indeed. Between 1791-1793, Rider promoted himself the 'Inventor of Gold...[verre églomisé]...Borders on Convex glass'. The statement's veracity is unknowable, for, at the same time, Isabella Beetham (1754-1825) was presenting profiles on glass in the same manner. However, given that Rider offered artists 'an extensive variety...[of]...Miniature Glasses, plain or ornamented', it's possible her 'ornamented glasses' were manufactured by Rider and executed by Bazing.

To be continued