Worcester Porcelain Museum

The Worcester Porcelain Museum ( officially The Museum of Worcester Porcelain ) houses the world's largest collection of Royal Worcester porcelain. The ceramic collections, archives and records of factory production are the primary source for the study of Worcester porcelain and its history. The museum opened in 1879 is located next to the former porcelain factory on the Severn Street in Worcester.

History

During the 1860s and 70s, Richard William Binns FSA began ( 1819-1900 ) and director of the first corporate historian specimens of early Worcester and other works of art to buy in order to inspire the workforce. Fascinated by the art of the Far East and the example of the Musée national de Ceramique, Sevres in France following, he amassed a large collection of Japanese, Chinese and Korean ceramics and Japanese bronzes. He acquired a large amount of literature on sculpture, architecture, clothing, calligraphy, Botany, and decorative works of art.

The first Royal Worcester factory museum was opened in November, 1879. The collection was exhibited in a large room in the heart of the factory and included many pieces from the early 19th century and the Victorian era. The exhibition catalog was published by RW Binns 1884. The collection, which came from different countries and included more than 10,000 objects, was sold after the death of Binns 1900.

His son Charles William Dyson Perrins (1864-1958) was a respected local benefactor. He succeeded his father as director of Royal Worcester in 1891. Prosperity of the Perrins family came from the former partnership with John Wheeley Tea and the discovery of the secret recipe of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. In the early years of the 20th century, he founded one of the most important private collections of 18th century Worcester porcelain. In 1926, Dyson Perrins bought the museum collection and library to rehabilitate the finances of the porcelain company, under the condition that the exhibits were on display throughout his life. In 1934 he bought the Royal Worcester factory, founded a new company and became its chairman. During the First World War, the museum's collections were packed and stored in cellars in Worcester and Malvern ( Worcestershire ).

In 1946, Dyson Perrins created the Perrins Museum Trust to manage its own private collection of the museum of the former Business and merge.

The new united collections of Worcester porcelain were made ​​public in June 1951,. The new museum was opened by Princess Elizabeth on her visit to Royal Worcester's 200 years of existence.

To make the museum a permanent home, gave CW Dyson Perrins widow Frieda financial resources so that the collection in 1967 found its place in the buildings of St. Peters School.

In 1995, the museum received a collection of porcelain from the estate of James Giles. This new acquisition was an opportunity to make the exhibition in the next four years completely new and to double the exhibition space. This was done with the help of a grant from the National Lottery and charitable donations foundations, corporations and individuals.

The museum changed its name from Dyson Perrins Museum The Worcester Porcelain Museum, to make the name " Worcester " better known. The bankruptcy of the Company Royal Worcester in 2008, the museum was untouched, as it is funded independently.

The museum is a registered charity, managed by a Board. The members of the Supervisory Board are working on a voluntary basis. The museum is funded by admission fees, donations and donations.