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



the most remarkable are : — A statuette of the Virgin and Child seated, early 13th century ; 

 two richly ornamented candlesticks of the same date, a processional cross, a censer, a 

 reliquary, a pyx, and two monstrances ; three dishes of German work ; an Oriental 

 cistern with engraved designs ; some good Italian bas-reliefb, and numerous other illus- 

 trations of mediseval and more recent manners and customs. The objects, however, of 

 the greatest general interest in this section are, an astrolabe, made for King Henry VIII. 

 by Bastien le Seney, and the inscribed plate taken in 1793, from the leaden coffin of 

 Mary d'Este, widow of King James II. of England, buried at St. Germain in 1718. 



(6.) Miscellaneous. — The foundation stone of the original church of St. Mark, Venice, 

 built in 828 by Doge John Particiano, and destroyed in 976 ; see Archaeologia,. XXV. -p. 215. 

 A moulded panel of terra cotta, with the head of St. John the Baptist, of German work, 

 circa 1500 ; two dishes of late Spanish majolica ; a piece of tapestry with a bust of 

 Our Saviour, with a large inscription stating it to have been copied from the portrait 

 cut in emerald ; an embroidered cushion front made for the town of Hereford in the 

 second year of James I. ; the front of an Italian cassone, of the 15th century, with battle 

 scenes painted and yilt; three inlaid draught-boards; one of these has the men, with 

 stamped designs by P. H. Muller, representing historical events from 1687 to 1694. 



(7.) Oriental Aj-mour. — This is a very important section, in all about 190 specimens, 

 including the greater part of those engraved in Skelton's work, and they therefore form 

 a typical collection, Avhich will be useful to students. Among the many hne specimens, 

 the most notable are the following: — 



Body armour and gauntlets of the loth century, which, from the stamp upon them, 

 appear to have come from the armoury of Mahomet II. at Constantinople ; portions of a 

 suit, composed of a helmet, " the four mirrors" for the body, and two gauntlets, all orna- 

 mented with arabesques in low relief and edgings inlaid with gold ; a remarkable battle- 

 axe with three blades, inlaid with gold : a fine series of scimitars and straight swords, 

 including one that belonged to Tippoo Saib ; two straight spears with richly embossed 

 silver plates on the shafts ; a Japanese weapon, consisting of a long blade mounted as a 

 spear, with socket richly inlaid with gold ; and two Polygar knives with handles overlaid 

 with gold plates. 



(8.) Ethnographical. — These are not very numerous, but among them are objects, Avhich 

 having been brought to this country in early times, are of some rarity, though they do 

 not present any great desiderata for series so rich as those of the British Museum and the 

 Christy Collection. As, however, they are engraved in Skelton's work, it is important 

 that they should be preserved as type specimens. The larger clubs and spears seem to 

 have disappeared. 



These collections have been temporarily placed in the New Pre-historic Boom, where 

 they will be arranged in the wall cases, Nos. 1-18, and in two table-cases at the west-end 

 of the room. 



IV. — Henderson Collection. 



This collection is a portion of the valuable bequests made to the nation by the late 

 John Henderson, Esq., xW.A., r.s.A., who died 20th November 1878 ; and they are a 

 fitting monument to his well-known taste as a collector, although they do not represent the 

 entire field of art which he studied, the rest of his collections being bequeathed to other 

 institutions or to private friends. M any of the specimens are Avell-known to art-students, 

 having been generously lent by the owner to various exhibitions, or by notices in works 

 treating of the subjects to which they belong. It is only during a long life that a collector 

 can bring together so many rarities, which in this case have the merit of being beautiful 

 as works of art. By this acquisition, many gaps in the national collection have been 

 filled in a satisfactory manner. 



(1.) Glass. — This collection consists of about 240 specimens of various ages. Among the 

 antique vases are 13 bottles which have been discovered in tombs in most countries 

 bordering on the Mediterranean, and which there is good reason to believe are Phoenician ; 

 the finest of these is a fluted amphora with zigzags of purplish brown on a white ground. 

 The most beautiful specimens are of a somewhat later period, and chiefly discovered at 

 Cyprus, and they have been selected on account of the exquisite iridescence with which 

 they are covered, which has added greatly to their beauty as well as to their commercial 

 value ; they exhibit every possible hue of rainbow tints : there are also three fine covered 

 Roman vases from Italy, with iridescence, and a number of fragments. In the Vene- 

 tian series may be remarked an early blue vase with enamelled scale work, three tazze 

 of the early part of the 16th century with enamelled decoration, and some elegant drink- 

 ing glasses of white glass with blue accessories. Among the German are, a jug, dated 

 1577 ; a large Wiederkom with the imjjerial eagle, dated 1656, and a covered goblet with 

 a representation of the Fichtelberg, 1691. 



There are likewise a few specimens of Oriental glass, Rhodian, Persian, and Chinese. 



(2.) Spanish and Sicilian Majolica. — Twenty-four specimens. Of these early European 

 wares there are some remarkable examples, decorated with metallic lustre ; especially 

 two cylindrical drug-pots, with ornaments imitated from Arabic inscriptions, and nine 

 £ne dishes with coats of arms, and other devices, in the centre. 



3. Italian 



