The Virtues Jar

At Burghley, a pair of small vases of Chinese shape have always been highly regarded, and thought to be have been made by George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, (1628-1687) at his Vauxhall glassworks. An 18th Century note kept rolled inside on jar records them as "Duke of Buckingham's China". The jars, together with a third, large example, are itemised in the 'Deed of Gift' that lists, in 1683, the incredible inheritance of Anne, 5th Countess of Exeter. The Deed lists "A pair of little Jarrs and Covers guilt and Enamel'd with ffestoones and Boyes heads." The larger jar forms the next entry; "A Jarr Guilt and Enameld with Cupids in three Ovalls and Cover open Work Silver guilt." (The cover is missing.)

It has long been accepted that the first production of hard paste porcelain in the West was pioneeered by Johann Bottger in 1708, at Meissen. However in 1991, Gordon Lang of Sotheby's suggested that the Burghley vases might in fact be porcelain. Much research, together with a detailed analysis conducted at the British Museum's Research Laboratory, has proved that they are indeed made of true hard-paste porcelain and thus that their manufacture pre-dates production at Meissen by some 25 years.

These vases and many other superb miniatures will form the core of next year's exhibition, "Art in Miniature at Burghley." This will be shown to visitors to the Treasury Gallery at Burghley between 20 th March and 31 st October 2010.