FLOOE.] 
GOLD ORNAMENT AND GEM ROOM. 
137 
a metallic reflection, or iridescence. The next class, dating from 
about a.d. 1510-1525, is smaller in size, frequently ornamented with 
arabesque borders, and with metallic yellow and ruby. Some of 
the finest specimens were painted at Gubbio, by Giorgio Andreoli. 
The third, a.d. 1530-1550, is painted with subjects occupying the 
whole of the plate, and generally taken from Roman mythology ; the 
colours are bright, rarely iridescent, and with a great preponderance 
of yellow. In the next class, a.d. 1560-1580, the drawing deterio- 
rates, the colouring becomes dull and brown, and the subjects are 
frequently enclosed in arabesque borders on a white ground. In the 
next century Majolica almost entirely disappears, having been probably 
driven out of esteem by Oriental porcelain. 
In Central Case O are placed some of the choicer vases of Italian 
Majolica. They are chiefly made to contain drugs, &c, for the 
Spezierie attached to most convents and large private dwellings in the 
sixteenth century. In the same case are a pair of fine vases of 
Chelsea porcelain, made by M. Spremont, in 1762, and presented in 
1763. 
Cases 136-139. German Stoneware. — This is a hard dense pot- 
tery, well suited to domestic purposes, and sometimes richly ornamented. 
It was made in the neighbourhood of the Lower Rhine. There are 
three principal varieties. The first, consisting usually of cylindrical jugs, 
narrowing at the top, is a yellowish white, with ornaments well executed ; 
it was made at Siegburg, near Bonn. The second is brown, decorated 
rtliM. coats of arms or figures under arches, and was chiefly manu- 
factured in the old Duchy of Limburg. The third is grey, with orna- 
ments in relief, the ground being usually coloured blue or dark 
maroon. Vessels of the second class were extensively imported into 
England during the 16th century, and are frequently found in excava- 
tions under old buildings. 
AUGUSTUS W. FRANKS. 
Between the British and Medieval Room and the Ethno- 
graphical Room is a door leading to the 
COLLECTION OF GOLD ORNAMENTS AND GEMS. 
The gold ornaments are arranged in cases round the East 
and South sides of the room. 
Cases A andB contain specimens of Medieval and modern jewellery. 
Cases C and D contain gold ornaments of the Celtic and Roman 
periods, found chiefly in Great Britain and Ireland. 
Case E contains ornaments from Babylonia, with some others from 
Egypt. 
In Cases F to Q is exhibited the series of Etruscan, Greek, and 
Roman ornaments, to which in recent years the most important addi- 
