Percival David

Room 95, British Museum.

The David Vases, said to be two of the best-known Chinese porcelains in the world, part of the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art collection

Sir Percival Victor David Ezekiel David, 2nd Baronet (Bombay, 21 July 1892 – 9 October 1964) was an important collector of Chinese porcelain.^[1]

Biography

David's background was a Jewish family in British India, but originating in Baghdad. His father, Sir Sassoon David, 1st Baronet, was an important businessman in Bombay (now Mumbai), and a banker, being a founder of the Bank of India.

The Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art is a collection of Chinese ceramics and related items in London, England. The Foundation's main purpose is to promote the study and teaching of Chinese art and culture. The Collection consists of some 1,700 pieces of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing porcelain from the 10th century to the 18th. It includes examples of the rare Ru and Guan wares and two important Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain temple vases (the "David Vases") the oldest dated blue and white porcelain objects, from 1351 A.D.^[2] It also holds a large library of Western and East Asian books related to Chinese art. In 1950 the collection was presented to the University of London and until 2007 was displayed in a house in Gordon Square. Since 2009 it has been shown in a separate gallery, Room 95, at the British Museum, where it is on long-term loan.

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