A cast lead vase may be seen at Kew Gardens, which is a replica of a Greek vase of black marble in the Louvre. There are many of these in existence; its form was so popular that it was worth while to make an iron casting pattern for it.
A beautiful Italian tank may be seen in the British Museum; the nature of the ornament suggests that it is of the late isth cen tury. The disfiguring inlet and outlet pipes have obviously been added at a later date, and by someone totally unappreciative of the charm of its decoration.
During the 19th century, unfortunately, the art was greatly neglected, and its position among the building arts was crowded out in favour of others of a more opulent and imposing nature.
In all its decorative forms, it seemed to be almost eclipsed. Much of the history of leadwork in England is revealed by a study of that of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, and the allied craft of the Pewterers, and their position among the City Guilds. The modern tendency is towards a gradual revival of this simple and useful craft. There is a steady demand for lead work of a high standard, both from the standpoint of artistic quality, as well as technical merit ; but though it can be obtained, it is by no means general throughout the country. The craft has been neglected too long, and the few firms who specialize in good leadwork are practically the only sources of supply.
The fault seems to lie with the leadworkers themselves. The Worshipful Company of Plumbers have done very much to support and inspire the craft technically, but have not dealt with the artistic side at all. Architects are demanding good lead
work of sound design, and traditional methods of working, but although they can obtain work sound enough technically, from imbue leadworkers aesthetic standpoint, it is unutterably bad. In order to mbue leadworkers with the right spirit, and feeling for their material, they need to receive their training from an artist, as well as a technical expert, as a perfect technical training, unleavened by any artistic perception, produces the most horrible results. Pro fessor W. R. Lethaby has done a great deal to revive the for gotten spirit of old leadwork, and his book, published in 1893, was greatly needed to stimulate the gradually awakening interest in the ancient and homely craft. Valuable work has been done in the same direction by Mr. F. W. Troup, in his works on the subject.
Among modern examples of excellent leadwork, both from its technique, and admirable design and sense of material is that executed by the Bromsgrove Guild, Worcestershire, which express the traditional and completely English spirit of treatment.
There are many interesting examples of the modern treatment of lead, from a decorative standpoint by individual sculptors and artists, chiefly for the purpose of garden decoration, statuary, bird baths, fountains, rain water tanks, etc., but it could be much more extensively employed than it is.