Although the use of ormolu originated in France, Boulton did not take influence from the French in the design of his pieces. The highly ornamented work of his contemporaries in France of the 1760s, was too extravagant for his English taste. He wanted to emulate, if not surpass, the quality of the French work but to simplify the ornamentation.In the eighteenth century objects like these were know as candle vases as they could hold a candle or be used as a vase. Ornamental wares of this and simpler kinds made up the bulk of Boulton's ormolu production. The pattern books show very many designs for vases, some with only slightly differing detail.