Since the AGM there have been a few changes to our Committee. Valerie Ferguson has had to leave us after many years successfully organising our annual Plant Sale, as has Tessa Hayward, who ran the Friends’ tours so brilliantly. Many thanks to them both, we will miss them. Sidney Morton has kindly agreed to become Hon Treasurer, taking over from Jennifer Bereska who will continue to do other valuable work on the Committee.
The new exhibition High Spirits: The Comic Art of Thomas Rowlandson opens to the public on 27 September. Friends may visit as many times as they wish free of charge.
Doctor Convex and Lady Concave, 20 November 1802
Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827)
Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014
Fundraising
The Plant Sale in May was our best ever, making a stupendous £1,190 for the Museum, while the June Book Sale proceeds came to over £750. On Saturday 25 October Sidney and David will back again, this time offering a wide selection of used paperback fiction, pamphlets (including guidebooks and exhibition catalogues) and postcards (many of old master paintings). If you have anything which might be useful for the Portico Sale, please let Sidney Blackmore or David Wiltshire know. Tel. 01985 213195 orSidney.blackmore@btinternet.com.
Friends Quiz
We already have the date for next year’s Quiz, Tuesday 17 February 2015, so do put it in your diary now. Tickets will cost £12.50 for quiz only or £25 for quiz and supper. Further information from holburnefriends@gmail.com. You can also try out last year’s questions and answers.
Object of the Month
Ivory portrait miniature of Mary Ickeringill 1790s
In an act of extreme generosity, this rare ivory portrait relief was recently presented to the Museum by a Friend of the Holburne. Made in Bath by virtuoso carvers Stephany and Dresch in the 1790s, the relief depicts Mary Ickeringill, the sister of the donor’s great-great grandmother Ann Wilson (nee Ickeringill).
The Ickeringills were a Yorkshire family and the relief must have been carved during a visit to Bath. The portrait is surrounded by a garland of Stephany and Dresch’s characteristic miniature carvings of flowers. It perfectly complements two Stephany and Dresch ivory landscapes already in the collection, acquired by Sir William Holburne.The relief is currently being conserved and reframed, after which it will be displayed in the Andrew Fletcher Gallery. It forms part of a growing collection of miniatures, silhouettes and portrait reliefs made in Bath during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
We would welcome readers’ suggestions for their favourite items to be featured on this page. Please send your ideas and a short description to Mary Jane Wilkinson at holburnefriends@gmail.com
Newsletter
The Newsletter for Summer 2014 is now available here to view together with downloadable booking forms for our forthcoming events.
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