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24 Feb 2018

Part I: 50 interesting objects

A varnished ceramic teapot with a brown spout and handle. The body has leaves and flowers painted on it, as well as the words: Mrs Simpson, Kilbarchan 1885.

Ceramic teapot

There are many intriguing and eye-catching artefacts in our collections.

1. Teapot

A watercolour of a man sitting at a large weaving loom. The artist signature is in the bottom right corner. It is framed by a wide gilt frame.

A ceramic teapot from 1885 – it was a wedding gift to a Kilbarchan woman.

2. Pin cushion

A white silk pin cushion with a lace-effect pattern around the outside. Sticking up out of it are 15 beautifully delicate and ornate hat pins.

A silk pin cushion with beautifully delicate pins and ornate hat pins

3. Box / bezoar

Featured Place: Brodick Castle

An ornate gold filigree case, containing a bold red bezoar. The case is opened wide and has a long gold chain

A gold filigree case, containing a bold red bezoar. A bezoar is a stone that forms in a goat’s stomach and was believed to have healing properties.

4. Wine ewer

Featured Place: Brodick Castle

A silver wine jug, shaped like a dodo. The hinged beak opens to pour the wine through.

A wine jug, shaped like a dodo, by Alexander Crichton II

5. Drinking horn

Featured Place: Brodick Castle

A group of 19th-century owl-shaped drinking horns, with 9 small owls and 1 very tall one.The bases are made from a light-brown horn, and all have a silver owl head on top, with orange eyes.

A selection of 19th-century owl-shaped drinking horns

6. Playing cards

Featured Place: Newhailes

A deck of cards (with rules lying in front) for the whist-style game ‘Striptease’. On either side of the box are a playing card with illustrations: on the left is a silhouette of a naked woman; on the right is a man frowning at a bottle of wine.

A deck of cards (with rules) for the 1930s whist-style game ‘Striptease’

7. Panels / tiles

Featured Place: Hill of Tarvit Mansion

An 18th-century Chinese porcelain tile, decorated with a painting of two people sitting on a carpet in a garden.

Two extremely rare 18th-century Chinese porcelain tiles

An 18th-century Chinese porcelain tile, decorated with a painting of two people playing dominoes on either side of a long red table.

Two extremely rare 18th-century Chinese porcelain tiles

8. Musical game

A polished wooden box is opened up, showing a musical board game. It has drawers either side, which are also open to show various pieces. Dice, counters and instructions are laid out in front of the box.

A musical board game from 1903, intended as an ‘introduction to music’

9. Toaster

A Georgian cheese toaster is shown opened up. It resembles a silver tin, with compartments inside, and has a handle on top.

A cheese toaster from 1780, with a winged beast engraved on the lid

10. Book

A very small book is displayed open at a page with French text upon it: Le Petit Desire Almanach Chantant pour 1815 | A Paris, chez Janet, Libraire, Rue St Jacques, No. 59. The side of the book has a tiny metal clasp.

A tiny book!

What we do: Collections

Find out more about how we care for the very wide range of collections items in over 50 of our properties.

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