icollectables

Josh Sims’ Review in today’s Financial Times, about ‘Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill’ a new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, reminded me of a leather-bound copy of Walpole’s Letters which I purchased in Highgate,London, several years ago. The Letters cover a period of  his life between 1735 and 1797 ,during much of this time Walpole , youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole, indulged in his passion of developing his ‘Gothic-style’ castellated home, Strawberry Hill ,in Twickenham, London, and of collecting several thousand items to fill it. These objects, including paintings and ceramics and miniatures to his taste , must have constituted one of the largest collections of its day.

The V&A have put together over two hundred objects that would have been at Strawberry Hill. His house has seen many uses over the years since Horace Walpole occupied and in recent years it had fallen seriously into decay. Happily, the house is being refurbished and is expected to be open to the public later this year. Meanwhile,the exhibits at the V&A will provide a valuable insight into how Walpole’s treasures were displayed about his house.

If you are interested in this unique opportunity to see a part-work of an important collector go to www.vam.ac.uk for details of the exhibition open until 4th July this year.