The History of the Holburne Collection
The Collection: Gems and Jewels
Sir William Holburne amassed an extensive collection of cameos and intaglios: the 1887 catalogue of the collection includes 69 'Antique and other Intaglie', 28 'Poniatowski Intaglie' and 18 'Camei'. The majority of these were mounted in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century gold rings. In addition to the cameos and intaglios, Sir William also acquired several pieces of sixteenth-and seventeenth-century jewellery. The collection appears to have been kept in a rosewood jewel case with seventeenth-century silver mounts (X435).
The collection also includes some personal jewellery that may have belonged to Sir William's sisters.
