Talk:Matthew Boulton

message: Having just looked at this article I think it rates the New C class ( was assessed Start in 2007) as has an ibox, photos and reasonable amount of content, and with better referencing would be a B candidadate, with a bit of work to layout. - BulldozerD11 (talk) 14:36, 7 October 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Assessment

message: Someone (i.e., someone more knowledgable about the subject than I) should add a section about the incest scandal involving him, cited in the "Incest" article.
:New book coming out on him in July, should have that.  Meantime, I'm going to work on making this article at least GA class.  Have ordered a ref, there's an article on him in World Coin News, and should be more on Google Books.--Wehwalt (talk) 18:02, 15 April 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Old unsigned Comment

message: We now have different, uncited, dates of death in the body of the article, and the infobox. Which (with citation, please) is correct? Andy Mabbett (User:Pigsonthewing); Andy's talk; Andy's edits 17:40, 5 December 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Done. Well spotted! --Old Moonraker (talk) 18:01, 5 December 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Death dates 

message: Boulton's bicentennial of death is in August, I'm at least going to take a shot at getting it FA by then.  Help needed.--Wehwalt (talk) 12:16, 16 June 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Starting work on improvement 

message: Boulton manufactured the small metal setting for Wedgwood cameos as jewellery etc, and was probably the provider of the small ormolu settings used when Wedwood cameos were set into furniture. The Powerhouse holds an item. I recall that the setting is not silver but a silver-coloured alloy of Boulton's invention.  ..... I've just been searching through my books for some reference and can't find it. Amandajm (talk) 06:24, 28 June 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Wish I had been into this article when I was in Sydney in March!  Was it Sheffield plate, which is discussed in the article?--Wehwalt (talk) 11:23, 28 June 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Relationship with Wedgwood

message: thinks he might be able to go to Birmingham and take pictures of Boulton-related items. Is there a particular museum that would be relevant for this? Awadewit (talk) 20:49, 5 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: There's a major Boulton exhibition going on until the end of September at Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, Gas Hall Exhibition Gallery.  If he goes, he should try for silver and ormolu, but I'll take anything.  Except that disputed picture of a sword from the V&A, there's nothing free on the web.  I was looking for American museums displaying his stuff, the nearest to me is in Delaware and all they have are lamps.  Thanks to you and SH!--Wehwalt (talk) 22:13, 5 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Have passed the info along - thanks! Awadewit (talk) 22:18, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

text: Wish I could help.  Thanks for your help!  I think there is a very good chance this will pass FA shortly and hopefully be TFA on August 17, and it would be great to have shots of Boulton's decorative arts for the big day!--Wehwalt (talk) 23:00, 5 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I speak from experience; silver is darn hard to photograph.  I'd get the ormolu first, esp if you are breaking museum rules.  But they teach any photographer, better to apologize after than ask permission before!--Wehwalt (talk) 23:14, 5 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: If he's still planning on going, he should try for one of the spectacular ormolu clocks, he'll know them when he sees them.  I have the exhibition catalog, so he doesn't have to worry about identification, I'll piece it together.  I am going to be in England and in Birmingham in late September, before the exhibit closes, but that is obviously after the bicentennial minute.  I've got an iron or two in the fire if that fails, though.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:33, 17 July 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pictures of Boulton-made items 

message: Yay!  Now on to see if we can get this main page on August 17!  Wild party in the sandbox first tonight!--Wehwalt (talk) 23:22, 7 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I was just going to respond to my FA comments. Shall I hold off until people have recovered from the hangovers? Awadewit (talk) 02:17, 8 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: No, I had saved some wine for you.  Why not make suggestions here?  We want to have this article in great shape for possible TFA on August 17.--Wehwalt (talk) 11:31, 8 July 2009 (UTC)

text: Congratulations! Amandajm (talk) 11:26, 8 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Great! This has been a crazy week for me and I'm leaving town really soon. I promise to get back to this in about a week or so! Awadewit (talk) 04:35, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Sorry this has taken me so long! Awadewit (talk) 16:00, 27 July 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  FA! 

message: *Comprehensiveness: It was revealed in the comments at the FAC about Boulton and his relationship to the Industrial Revolution that there is debate among historians about precisely what Boulton's role in the Industrial Revolution was. I think that some of this debate needs to be included in the article. Boulton's place in the larger historical tapestry needs to be made clear to readers and if there is debate about that, so does the debate. I would envision a small paragraph on this issue. Awadewit (talk) 15:59, 27 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm currently away and don't have my refs with me.  I'll be home in a week.--Wehwalt (talk) 07:27, 28 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm sorry, I still haven't gotten to it but I am not sure the Industrial Revolution thing is something we'll be able to address in full, because there seem to be so many divergent views on it.  I'll work on the prose first, that is hopefully easy.--Wehwalt (talk) 22:01, 6 August 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: We don't need to address the Industrial Revolution "in full", but we do need to address it in part. For example, we don't need to offer all of the competing views on how the Industrial Revolution started. What we do need to mention are the mainstream views on Boulton's contribution to it. Awadewit (talk) 22:15, 6 August 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: OK, not a problem.  I'll look for a few and get them in next week, in time for TFA day, as well as views I can find against it.  A balanced cpuple of paragraphs, I'm figuring.--Wehwalt (talk) 22:34, 6 August 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: How's this going? Awadewit (talk) 06:54, 16 August 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm sorry, Awadewit, I ran out of time before I left the country (only temporarily) and I can't access anyting substantive on Google books right now.  If you want to throw together something quickly, it is cool, otherwise I will make it top priority when I get home on Friday.--Wehwalt (talk) 17:20, 16 August 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Unresolved FAC comments 

message: on getting on the main page! Sorry I missed the party! Amandajm (talk) 10:51, 19 August 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm still cleaning up the article from it!  Most edits are keepable and I won't touch them accordingly, the worst are the date links.  Totally useless.  But thanks for the congrats.--Wehwalt (talk) 16:31, 19 August 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: ...and yet more Congratulations

message: Would anyone be interested in helping to set up a WikiProject Silverware? I'm interested in salvers, coffee pots, jugs, candlesticks, famous silversmiths, different styles, etc. Thanks. Girlwithgreeneyes (talk) 11:53, 3 April 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Setting up WikiProject Silverware? 

message: I was disappointed to see  of this recently-added section, in its entirety. It speaks to Boulton's personal and professional interests, and describes tangible objects once owned by him, and which are now available for public inspection. At 65K, the article is not over-long, and even if it were, it could be subdivided, rather than losing cited and relevant material. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:44, 9 February 2015 (UTC)
replies: text: Why is it significant? Has it contributed to learning, or have scholars written peer-reviewed articles on them? Why is this different from any other of his many interests? That can be covered in a sentence or so if at all.--Wehwalt (talk) 22:33, 9 February 2015 (UTC)
replies: text:  I believe I addressed your first question, about significance, in . It was clearly significant enough to Boulton, that he devoted a whole room of his house to the collection. As for contribution to learning, that would seem to be met by  (from William Withering) which should perhaps be added to the material when it is restored. The citation for that is . Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 23:38, 9 February 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  Mineral collection 

message: : Finished translation. :ja:マシュー・ボールトン&oldid=58641643 https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=マシュー・ボールトン&oldid=58641643 as of February 16, 2016 T21:45 --Omotecho (talk) 06:35, 26 February 2016 (UTC)
replies: text: Excellent.  I'm always available if anything I've written is incomprehensible.--Wehwalt (talk) 06:52, 26 February 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Copied for translation into {{nihongo| [[:ja:マシュー・ボールトン]]}} 

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thread_title:  External links modified 

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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: I don't wish to drop a  tag into a FA, but "silver plate had to be sent over 70 miles (110 km) to the nearest assay office, at Chester, to be assayed and hallmarked" is dubious.  Silver plate is not hallmarked, only solid silver.  The hallmark is a guarantee that the silver (and of course likewise gold, platinum and palladium) is solid and of the stated quality.  How, for instance, could you put a 925 (sterling) silver on something that is 90% base metal?  Boulton is quoted as saying "I am very desirous of becoming a great silversmith, yet I am determined not to take up that branch in the large way I intended, unless powers can be obtained to have a marking hall [assay office] at Birmingham."  Note that here is talking about being a silversmith, which usually means working in the solid metal. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 11:38, 5 April 2023 (UTC)
replies: text: If it's not clear that what is meant are solid sterling silver items, I'd suggest you consider a rephrasing that suits you. Obviously plated silver has never carried an official hallmark (disregarding the mock hallmarks I've seen on some plated items. Wehwalt (talk) 12:21, 5 April 2023 (UTC)

text: Yes, "silver plate" especially in those days, is not "silverplated", but the term for vessels and other non-jewellery objects in silver. Johnbod (talk) 12:41, 5 April 2023 (UTC)
replies: text:  Ah, I see what you mean.  Coming immediately after a reference to Sheffield plate it's a bit misleading though.  Given that this is a featured article I'll not wade in (I'm an old white Englishman), perhaps someone could clarify it for the readership?  Thanks. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 12:51, 5 April 2023 (UTC)
replies: text: Yes something should be done I think. Sadly the fine old term "massy plate" would no doubt make things worse. Johnbod (talk) 13:08, 5 April 2023 (UTC)
replies: text: I've changed "silver plate" to "heavier items". Will that do? Wehwalt (talk) 13:13, 5 April 2023 (UTC)
thread_title:  Hallmarking silver plate?