Monday, March 21, 2016

The China Room

Below is a lengthy piece from Letters of Horace Walpole Earl of Oxford ©1844 in which he describes "The China Room" in a Villa on Strawberry Hill near Twickenham. Take note of the descriptions and the amount of china.

THE CHINA ROOM.
Painted glass in the windows, and crests of Shorter and Gestinthorpe; the. ceiling painted with convolvuluses on poles, by Miintz, frqm a ceiling in the little Borghese villa at Frescati: the sides, white Dutch tiles, with borders of blue and white.'
In the floor some very ancient tiles with arms, from the cathedral at Gloucester. The upper part of the chimney-piece is taken from a window of an ancient farm-house, formerly Bradfield-hall, belonging to Lord Grimston in Essex; the lower part from a chimney at Hurst Monceaux in Sussex: it is adorned with the arms of Talbot, Bridges, Sackville, and Walpole, the principal persons who have inhabited Strawberry-hill.
In a niche supported by two columns of oriental alabaster, over the chimney, is a fine ewer of fayence, designed by Julio Romano; and two green glass tumblers, with golden edges; and two round saltcellars of old blue and gold Venetian glass, with flowers.
Over the niche, four chocolate cups of fayence, by Pietro Cortona; and a bronze medallion of Pandulfo Malatesta.
On the. sides, George II. and Frederic Prince of Wales, in Battersea enamel.
In the chimney, a large jar of old blue and white china; and two tiles from Bysham-abbey.
On the shelves and floor is a collection of porcelaine, earthenware, glass, and enamel on copper, of various ages and countries, as follow:
Two dozen plates of Venetian glass ; each plate has a different view of Venice, drawn in red.. .
A japanned tray with a vase for cream, and eight chocolate-cups and saucers with landscapes in brown, of the same ware.
Two bowls of Worcester porcelaine, the pattern from old china.
Two mustard-pots and plates, of Seve china; given by Lord Hertford.
Five trays, in shapes of fans, of old Japan china.
An old blue and white.plate with a rib in the middle.
A coloured handle cup, saucer and square plate, a la Grecque, of Seve china.
Two old blue and white plates, artichoke pattern.
Thirteen ditto, with peacock feathers.
Sixteen coloured old Japan plates.
Four ditto, blue and white, with figures»
Three ditto, with figures. ,
Twelve ditto, of coloured Japan china. . 'Four ditto, with birds.
Four water-plates with figures, of new china.
Twelve plates of Chelsea china, with, small coloured birds.
Three dishes scolloped and ribbed, with coloured flowers. •
Two large coloured dishes of the fine old thick Japan china.
A large deep dish of Roman earth, with stories from Ovid's Metamorphosis.
An earthenware dish, with the heads of Charles II. and Queen Catherine in blue and white; a present from Mr. Ibbot.
An old blue and white dish, with landscapes.
Ditto, larger, with figures.
Two dishes of very old French earthenware, with the arms of France.
Two small dishes of fayence, with grotesques, and the arms of a bishop Contarini. Vol. ii.—38

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