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Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Four of these extravagant vases adorned Cardiff Castle's Summer Smoking Room, designed by William Burges for the 3rd Marquess of Bute. Welsh coal made Bute one of the world's richest men and he spared no expense. The Room is reached by climbing more than 100 steps - not ideal for smokers!
Vase, porcellaneous stoneware, flat foot, globular body rising to a tall tabering neck, four additional cylindrical tulip holders around the shoulder; painted in the glaze in blue, enamelled in green, red and black, gilded, with parakeets sitting in blue scrolling foliage, around the belly four oval armorial bearings associated with the Bute family (two coats of arms of the 3rd Marquess of Bute), a scale pattern around the lower belly; inscriptions round the neck (ANNO : DOMINI : 1874) and lower belly (IOHN^S PATC^S MARCQ DE BUTE) identifying the patron and date.
