Page 113 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art London Nov. 2019

The Fonthill Heirlooms remains one of the most important collection of in the sacking of the Summer Palace in 1860. It appears that Mr
imperial Qing porcelain and works of art formed by a European in the Morrison bought, still packed in the original campaign chests, the
19th century. It was originally collected by Alfred Morrison, the London- mementoes which Lord Loch had brought back from Beijing. However,
based Member of Parliament, who was an active purchaser during it is unclear how much of the Fonthill Heirlooms formed part of this
the last decades of the 19th century, when Chinese and Japanese purchase traceable directly back to the sacking, and how much was
art were both culturally very much at the forefront of aesthetic tastes subsequently acquired by Mr Morrison from London antique dealers
as pioneered by artistic taste-formers like James Whistler and Oscar emerging into leading taste creators around the new antique dealing
Wilde, and also available in rather larger quantities than previously. areas of Belgravia, Mayfair and Bond Street.
The Fonthill Heirlooms became particularly well-known because Alfred
Morrison was apparently able to buy a substantial quantity of Chinese A very similar pair of famille rose baluster vases and covers,
art from Lord Loch of Drylaw. Before ennoblement, Lord Loch had Yongzheng, with the same motif and design, formerly in the collection
been an aide-de-camp of Lord Elgin, British Minister Plenipotentiary of Lord Granard, is illustrated by G.C.Williamson, The Book of Famille
in charge of the Western military campaign in China which culminated Rose, Tokyo, 1970, pl.LIV.

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