To my regret, I never got to meet Murray Pollinger in person. Yet I consider myself fortunate that my life has been enriched by him in recent years. It all started when I first tried to find out more about early 19th-century porcelain by Samuel Alcock. I kept coming across it, but could find no documentation and I noticed that many pieces were misidentified. The pattern numbers made no sense and virtually nothing was marked.
Where to begin? I asked around, and I heard on the grapevine about a gentleman in Norfolk with a large, meticulously researched collection. Rumour had it there was no plan to publish his work. Keen to meet him, I tried in vain to discover his name, before abandoning my search in late 2022. Merely three weeks later, I received a phone call from someone seeking assistance with a large porcelain collection amassed by her father, Murray Pollinger, who had recently passed away. I asked some questions, and immediately knew that the elusive Norfolk collector had come to find me posthumously.
This was to be the start of many trips to Norfolk over the course of the following year. I stayed with Murray's daughter and her family in the large family home, and they were not only the gateway to this important collection, but also quickly became close friends. By spending long weekends photographing the porcelain as Murray had left it, and delving into his copious notes, the collection and the painstaking research behind it came to life - as did the man himself.
So who was Murray Pollinger? Ask anyone who knew him and you get the same answer: 'a true gentleman'. Getting to know his family, I understood this was not just a superficial description; Murray really was a gentleman in the full sense of the word.
Bu hikaye Homes & Antiques dergisinin May 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Homes & Antiques dergisinin May 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Animal magic
Brought to life in myriad ways, whether printed, woven or embroidered, animals and birds have always been popular motifs in textile design, says Celia Rufey
Bright, bold and BRILLIANT
Small homes don't need to compromise on character. In Nick Kenny's two-up, two-down terrace, natural light, upcycled pieces and colourful accents make a big impact
HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE - FLORA JAMIESON
The stained glass artist talks to Dominique Corlett about the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement and capturing the English countryside at its best
Armillary sphere
The roots of the armillary sphere go back centuries but the design has retained its appeal, and sculptor David Harber creates some of today's most spectacular examples, says Jenny Oldaker
Six of the best HERITAGE RAILWAYS
Plying an 84-mile round trip route through the Scottish Highlands (current licensing woes willing), the Jacobite Steam Train starts at Fort William and skirts the tallest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, and spectacular beaches on its way to Mallaig.
TRAVEL
48 hours in Stockholm and the best heritage railways.
A PERSONAL PASSION
For opera lovers, Glyndebourne Festival is the highlight of the summer, beloved for its magical setting as well as the calibre of its productions. Celia Rufey steps behind the scenes as it celebrates its 90th birthday
48 hours in LEWES
As Glyndebourne Festival celebrates its 90th anniversary, there's no better time for a weekend away in the neighbouring town of Lewes in East Sussex says Sarah Riches
WE HEART ART
Visiting national art galleries and their acclaimed masterpieces is one thing, but the real satisfaction of being an art lover lies in building a collection of your own, says Caroline Wheater
The mystery COLLECTOR
One of the joys of collecting antiques is that pieces often come to us with stories attached. The story of Murray Pollinger, who built up an important collection of Samuel Alcock porcelain, is like the stuff of fiction. Fittingly so, as Willa Latham discovered...