Chatsworth

The China Closet

A Picture of the 'China Closet'

In 1995 this room was rehung with green silk damask and fitted with wall cases to display a porcelain dinner service of more than 200 pieces, made at Berlin c. 1780. Each piece, including the handles of the knives and forks, is white porcelain painted with birds perched on branches, butterflies and moths.

The service was originally twice its present size and belonged to Warren Hastings (1732-1818), Governor-General of India. In 1788 Hastings was impeached by the government on grounds of corruption and his trial lasted seven years. Although he was acquitted he was forced to sell much of the contents of this house to pay his costs. Half of the dinner service was bought by his neighbour, John 1st Baron of the Redesdale, from whom it descended to the father of the present Duchess of Devonshire. When Lord Redesdale sold it in 1948 the Duchess persuaded the present Duke to buy it, as she had always been fascinated by the insects painted on faults in the porcelain on the underside of the plates.

The first Berlin porcelain factory was founded in 1752 and was joined by a second in 1761.

They were purchased in 1763 by Frederick the Great of Prussia and Berlin porcelain then entered its most famous period. The factories have countinued as a royal and later state owned concern until the present day.