ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 21 



A collection of specimens from the south-west of New Guinea ; presented by Sir 

 James Ingham. 



A book containing specimens of taj^a cloth, etc., from the South Seas, with the localities 

 indicated; brought back by Captain Cook and, in 1837, by Mr. Thompson, of H.M.S. 

 " Imogene ;" presented by William Tiffin Ilitf, Esq. 



Twelve Aslianti weights of bronze, chiefly in the form of human figures ; presented by 

 Major F. Sidney Parry. 



In addition to the acquisitions mentioned above, the Trustees have been offered as a 

 gift, and have accepted, the principal part of a collection of Chinese and Japanese 

 poi-celain, consisting of about 2,000 specimens, collected by A. W. Franks, Esq., and at 

 present exhibited at the Bethnal Green Museum. The collection will not, however, be 

 placed in the British Museum until the New Natural History Museism is completed. 



III. — 3Iei/rick Collection. 



The Meyrick Collection Avas formed by the late Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, who devoted 

 his attention specially to ancient armour, on which he published the standard work, " A 

 Critical Inquiry into Ancient Armour," which has passed through two editions. An 

 account of his armour Avas published in "Engraved Illustrations of Ancient Arms, from 

 the collection at Goodrich Court, by Joseph Skelton," 4to., 1830. 



The other antiquities and specimens of medigeval art were chiefly derived from the 

 bequest of the well-known antiquary Francis Douce, who died in 1834, and were described 

 by Sir S. S. Meyrick in the " Gentleman's Magazine" for 1836, under the title of " The 

 Doucean Museum." 



Under the will of Sir S. Ti. Meyrick, the collection passed, with Goodrich Court, into 

 the possession of Colonel Meyrick, and was lent to the Art Treasures Exhibition at 

 Manchester in 1857. It was subsequently at South Kensington, when a catalogue was 

 published by the Department of Science and Art. 



The collection having been proposed for purchase to the Government, and declined, 

 was offered in detail for sale, and many of the specimens (including the whole of the 

 Eiiropean armour) were disposed of, some of the choicest finding their way into foreign 

 collections. A considerable number of objects remained, however. In the possession of 

 Major General Augustus Meyrick, by whom they have now been presented to the British 

 Museum, and they include many objects of interest, of which those belonging to this 

 Department may be noticed under the following heads : — 



(1.) Pre-histork Antiquities. — A stone hammer found In Scotland. Four bronze swords, 

 two of them discovered at Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, published in Archteologla, vol. XIX., 

 pi. iv, another in the New Forest, Glamorganshire, and the fourth in Ireland. Sixteen 

 bronze celts and three gouges. 



Bronze objects from the Continent, including a sword found in the Duchy of Bruns- 

 wick, mace heads from Italy, and arrowheads from Marathon. 



(2.) Anglo-Roman and Anglo- Saxon Antiquities. — Bronze fibulas, etc., found in Kent, 

 and a fine Anglo-Saxon brooch without locality. 



(3.) Carvings in Jvory, Wood, Sfc. — Fifty-nine specimens, of which the most important 

 are the following : — Among the Ivories ; a small casket of the 14th century, with sub- 

 jects of Saints, in its original metal mounts ; eight devotional tablets of the 14th and loth 

 centuries, including two paxes ; a very fine Italian casket of the 15th century, represent- 

 ing the history of Susanna ; two smaller caskets of the same kind, and a triptych, as Avell 

 as eight figures in niches, which have formed portions of a shrine or re table ; a very 

 elegant statuette of Venus with Cupid ; a satirical bas-relief connected with the history 

 of Colonel Charterls, and representing Orator Henley preaching; a covered cup or salt, 

 probably made for the Portuguese in West Africa, engraved in Shaw's Specimens of 

 Ancient Furniture, pi. Ixvi; another specimen of the same kind, but more truly native in 

 design ; and seven East Indian carvings, some of them of unusual excellence. 



Among wood carvings should be noticed a casket of the commencement of the 15th 

 century, beautifully ornamented with diapers of hearts and the crowned letters M. R. ; it 

 has been published as having belonged to iVl argaret Tudor, and her grand-daughter, Mary, 

 Queen of Scots, but of this there is no evidence. A statuette of a female Saint of the 

 I5th century, six knife sheaths, and a spoon of German work, most elaborately carved. 



An early Byzantine tablet, with the Blessed Virgin, carved in black stone. 



(4.) Enamelled Work. — Nineteen specimens; sixteen of them of champleve work of the 

 13th century. They include two crozier heads of Limoges work, one of them engraved in 

 Archseologia, vol. XVIII. pi. xxx., a pyx, a shrine with the martyrdom of St. Thomas a, 

 Becket, said to have come from Croyland Abbey ; four fine basins of the 13th century, 

 with figures of knights and ladies, coats of arms, monsters, etc., engravings of which 

 have been published in Vetusta Monumenta, vol. IV., [)1. viii. and ix. The painted enamels 

 consist of three specimens, a brilliant salt cellar with the Labours of Hercules, probably 

 hy Pierre Reymond ; a plate painted in grisaille on a blue ground, by one of the Penicaud 

 family ; and a fine frame with arabesques, evidently painted by Leonard Limousin 



(5.) Metal fFor/c— -This section includes a considerable number of specimens, of which 

 1/0. C 3 the 



