British Museum to receive donation of Chinese ceramics worth US$1.27 billion

The British Museum is to receive the highest-value gift in UK museum history as it acquires £1 billion (US$1.27 billion) worth of Chinese ceramics.

Trustees of the Percival David Foundation are to donate 1,700 pieces to the London museum, based in the city’s Bloomsbury area.

British businessman Percival David, who lived from 1892 to 1964, collected the items in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China, with his passion for the country leading him to become fluent in Chinese.

The collection has been on loan to the museum since 2009 in the specially designed bilingual Room 95, with an online catalogue available to view across the world, as David wanted his private collection to be used to inform and inspire people.

Director of the British Museum Dr Nicholas Cullinan said: “I am humbled by the generosity of the trustees of the Sir Percival David Foundation in permanently entrusting their incomparable private collection to the British Museum.

“These celebrated objects add a special dimension to our own collection and together offer scholars, researchers and visitors around the world the incredible opportunity to study and enjoy the very best examples of Chinese craftsmanship anywhere in existence.”