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Sources for business history: plans of New Court

Sources for art history: Catalogue of the pictures of Alfred de Rothschild 1901

Sources for yachting history: Plans for Nathaniel von Rothschild's yacht Veglia 1905

Sources for natural history: Walter 2nd Lord Rothschild and his zebra carriage: c.1910

Sources for global financial history: Map of lines of the Brazil Railway Company: c.1920

Sources for business history: index cards to bank files

Sources for social history: Rothschild Hospital Paris: 1920s

Sources for business history: detail of a Rothschild bond coupon

Sources for architectural history: Halton House: 1890s

Sources for the history of travel: Lionel de Rothschild's tours of Spain: 1909

Sources for local history: Tring Park: c.1900

Sources for Royal history: shooting party with Edward Prince of Wales: 1893

Sources for political history: Lionel de Rothschild: first Jewish MP: 1858

Sources for sporting history: St Amant winner of the Derby: 1904

Sources for local history: gardeners at Aston Clinton: 1899

Sources for Rothschild family history: Lionel de Rothschild's yacht Rhodora: 1927

Sources for London history: entrance to New Court: 1965

Sources for design history: plans for Lionel de Rothschild's Rolls-Royce: 1930

Sources for business history: Rothschild gold bars produced by the Royal Mint Refinery: 1930s

Sources for business history: letters of August Belmont Rothschild Agent in New York: 1860s

Sèvres

Ferdinand de Rothschild (1838-1898) began collecting Sèvres as a very young man. He proved his determination and assurance as a collector with his first purchase, a pot-pourri vase in the form of a sailing ship. Only eleven of these had ever been produced because of the difficulty of firing them. Their rarity was reflected in the price, and for two years Ferdinand hid the vase in case he was accused of extravagance by his family. He was later to buy another two Sèvres ships. The collection also included the Razoumovsky dessert service, with its vibrant turquoise ground and ornithological painting.

Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) shared with his cousin Ferdinand a love of the 18th-century French decorative arts, and especially French porcelain. He inherited some items of Sèvres from his father, and added more than sixty vases and objects, fourteen pieces of Sèvres-mounted furniture and six services, including two from French royal provenances.

His most impressive item was a cabinet mounted with a Sèvres plaque which had originally served as a table top and which Marie Antoinette had presented to her sister and brother-in-law the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Tefchen. Measuring 14 by 8.5 inches, this is the largest piece of Sèvres ever to have been produced.

Part of the Sèvres 'Razoumovsky Service' from 1767. Now in The Rothschild Collection (The National Trust) at Waddesdon Manor.

Part of the Sèvres 'Razoumovsky Service' from 1767. Now in The Rothschild Collection (The National Trust) at Waddesdon Manor.