British Museum accepts highest-value donation in UK museum history

London’s British Museum has just received the highest value object donation in British museum history. 1,700 new pieces have been added to the museum’s collection with an estimated value of £1 billion (€1.2 billion).

Among the items are ceramics from Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China. Donated by the Sir Percival David Foundation, the new additions make the British Museum’s 10,000 object collection of Chinese ceramics the biggest outside of the Chinese-speaking world.

Sir Percival David was a British financier born in 1892 who spent his life travelling Asia and collecting ceramics. He started his collection in 1913 and continued through to his death in 1964. Determined to have his entire collection on public view, it has been on show in the museum’s Room 95 since 2009 on loan.

David explained his belief in collecting in 1952 as “providing very necessary pabulum for the art critic and the art expert.”

“In our particular field this could be translated into whetting their mental appetites with ‘problem pieces’, pieces which may prove one day to be duds after all, or else emerge as key specimens of some newly identified class of ware of great significance,” David said at the Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society.

The announced donation makes the entire collection the official property of the British Museum as recognition of the 100th anniversary for David’s first trip to China. Ceramics from the collection will be lent to the Shanghai Museum in China and the Metropolitan Museum in New York as part of the museum’s support for global exhibitions.

One of the highlighted pieces in the collection is the “David” vases, dating back to 1351, which were instrumental in dating the introduction of blue and white ceramics. There is also a “Chicken cup” from the 15th century used to serve wine to the Chenghua emperor, and Ru wares that date back to the 1086 Song dynasty court.

Dr Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum said: “These celebrated objects add a special dimension to our own collection and together offer scholars, researchers and visitors around the world the incredible opportunity to study and enjoy the very best examples of Chinese craftsmanship anywhere in existence.”

“Wow. I am thrilled by this blockbuster decision by the Trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation,” said George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum. “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.”

Osborne previously accepted the controversial gift of £50 million (€60 million) as part of a 10-year partnership with oil company BP as part of the museum’s £1 billion (€1.2 billion) redevelopment plan.