The British Museum has received a historic gift: a private collection of Chinese ceramics valued at around £1 billion (reported in the Guardian), marking the highest-value donation ever to a UK museum. The 1,700 pieces, dating from the third to the 20th century, were permanently gifted by the Sir Percival David Foundation trustees, having been on loan to the museum since 2009.
George Osborne, the chair of the museum, said he was thrilled by the
blockbuster decision, this is the largest bequest to the British Museum in our long history. It’s a real vote of confidence in our future, and comes at a highly significant moment for us, as we embark on the most significant cultural redevelopment of the museum ever undertaken
Porcelain was first produced in China around AD 600, and Chinese ceramics—considered the world’s most advanced—were crafted for the imperial court, the domestic market, and export.
British businessman Percival David, inspired by a lifelong passion for China, amassed his collection from sources across Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and China. Until his death in 1964, David was committed to keeping his collection accessible to the public to educate and inspire.
This acquisition secures the British Museum’s place as one of the world’s leading public collections of Chinese ceramics outside the Chinese-speaking world, now totaling approximately 10,000 items.
Highlights from the collection include the 1351 “David Vases,” which transformed the understanding of blue-and-white ceramic dating, a 15th-century “chicken cup” once used by Emperor Chenghua, and rare Ru wares crafted for the Northern Song dynasty court around 1086.
Artist Edmund de Waal, famed for his large-scale porcelain installations, described seeing David’s collection as a “foundational experience” for generations of potters, scholars, and students. De Waal, who first encountered the pieces at 16, said they had remained a profound influence throughout his life. “Who knows who will have their lives changed in the future?” he added.
Colin Sheaf, the chair of the Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, said:
It’s exactly 100 years since Sir Percival David made his first visit to China. His inaugural trip engendered a lifelong love of its art and culture, especially the imperial porcelains made for the use of the emperor and his court, which inspired him to assemble his unparalleled private collection.
It’s entirely fitting therefore that, in this centenary year, the trustees of his foundation should resolve that the most suitable permanent home for his collection is the British Museum, where – on loan for 15 years – it has attracted millions of visitors every year, accomplishing all the charitable purposes of the foundation.
See the collection: HERE
