The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert collection

Silver-gilt cup in the form of a partridge, by Jorg Ruel, Nuremberg, Germany, about 1600. Museum no. Loan: Gilbert 60-2008

The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection of gold, silver, mosaics, gold boxes and enamel portrait miniatures was given to the nation by Sir Arthur Gilbert (1913–2001) in 1996. The collection was on display at Somerset House, London, from 2001 until 2008 when it was transferred to the V&A Museum, South Kensington, London. The move to South Kensington enables the collection to be appreciated by a wider audience and the spectacular masterpieces it contains will greatly enhance the V&A's existing displays.

The range of material and types of objects in the collection demonstrates the personal interests and passions of Rosalinde and Arthur. These were comprehensive yet selective, as can be seen in the array of artefacts so carefully and enthusiastically acquired over many years. A passion for opulence and the finest craftsmanship is evident throughout, unifying the whole collection. The collection also shows how one passion inspired and influenced the next. The collection of gold boxes, for example, included a number which were set with portraits in enamel. It was this that first encouraged the Gilberts' interest in, and particular affection for, enamel portrait miniatures.

Some pieces from this vast collection, including objects made by Paul de Lamerie, will be incorporated into displays elsewhere in the V&A, including the Whiteley Silver Galleries. Some of the silver will be returned on loan to the historic houses for which it was originally made, to Uppark, West Sussex; Belton House, Lincolnshire; Erddig, Wrexham; Shugborough, Staffordshire, and Dunham Massey, Cheshire. Hardstone or pietre dure objects from the collection will also be on show to the public at the Cliffe Castle Museum in West Yorkshire. Further examples from the collection can also be seen at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Selections from the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection are on display to the public in Rooms 70-73 at the V&A. In a suite of galleries overlooking the garden, the display will celebrate the masterpieces of the collection, with a particular focus on the gold boxes.