Fulgence et Fils
Sandglass in turned ivory frame, late 16th century, Italy, bought for £2 from Mons. Fulgence, Paris
Fulgence was a Parisian art dealership established by Monsieur H. Fulgence, that sold many objects to the South Kensington Museum and acted as its agent at several auctions in Paris.
Between 1877 and 1914, Fugence sold to the Museum a large number of objects, primarily historical textiles (e.9 11 to 83-1901), but also ceramics, ivories and woodwork.
Fulgence acted as the Museum’s agent at several auctions in Paris, notably the Bonnafé, Gavet, Hochon and Walstein sales. In 1883, Sir Phillip Cunliffe-Owen, Director of the South Kensington Museum, recommended to the Women’s Art Museum Association of Cincinnati the acquisition of a collection of artistic needlework formed by Madam Fulgence, ‘a remarkable expert’, while accompanying her husband on his business travels across Europe. The collection, however, did not fit in with its acquisitions policy.
On 1 October 1897 the firm moved from 50 Rue St Lazare to new premises on the Rue la Boëtie from where it traded for more than 60 years.
In 1901, the firm changed its name to ‘Fulgence et Fils’; three generations of the Fulgence family ran the firm.
Information in the V&A Archive:
MA/1/F1510: Nominal file – H. Fulgence
MA/1/B2060: Nominal file – J. Bowden
MA/3/50: Art referees’ reports, 1879-1882
MA/31/6: Register of loans in
ED 84/37 Précis of the Board minutes of the Science and Art Department, vol. IV, 1878-1880
ED 84/38 Précis of the Board minutes of the Science and Art Department, vol. V, 1881-1883
ED 84/39: Précis of the Board minutes of the Science and Art Department, 1884-1887
ED 84/40: Précis of the Board minutes of the Science and Art Department., vol. I, 1888-1892
Selected printed works:
A Sketch of the Women’s Art Museum Association of Cincinnati, l877-1886. Cincinnati: R. Clarke, 1886
