Art Treasures of Kinloch Castle: July 2016

Sunday, July 31, 2016

CHINESE SATSUMA & OAK MANTEL CLOCK

George W. Randall Archive ©

Photograph March 2006 - Lady Bullough's Drawing Room.

A fine example of a Satsuma koro, incense burner, on three feet with Shisui finial atop the

pierced domed cover, recorded in the 1978 Inventory as a pair.

The Inventory for 1978 records:

“Gun Room - a pair of Samson china vases and domed covers painted with flowers,

7½ inches high.”

The 1992 and 1996 Inventories record:

“Lady Bullough’s Drawing Room -

a single Satsuma two-handled koro and cover, decorated with figure panels,

the cover with shisui finial, 18 cms. high. Handles off.”

Images left and right taken in March 2006

show the handles reinstated.

The 2007 Inventory records:

“Lady Bulloughs’ Drawing Room -

A Satsuma two-handled koro and cover decorated with figure panels,

the cover with Shisui finial. (Handles restuck.)”

Like so many of the Castle’s treasures, over the years items has been moved from room to room, thoughtlessly separated to fill gaps, and exposed to major damage.

One must ask, why, on whose authority?

Equally, why a tighter check was not kept on these publicly owned items?

Where is the second Koro ?

********** ***** ***** **********

OAK SQUARE MANTEL CLOCK

George W. Randall Archive ©

An Oak Square Mantel Clock with brass mounts, 14 inches (34 cms.) high.

Stamped: No. 12224 4.4 * Chimes hours and half hours.

Pendulum inscribed: RA Depose

6004

The circular dial contains a white chapter ring with Arabic numerals

and sixty evenly spaced increments to denote minutes in the hour.

Within the chapter ring is a stippled gilt centre with two winding points.

Origin is uncertain, but most likely French.

Inside the body of the clock is a small stamp 2 cms. in diameter. A rubbing was made:

Posted 2 AUGUST 2016

+++ *** +++

Thursday, July 28, 2016

18th CENTURY LANTERN CLOCK BY WILLIAM JACKSON, LONDON. In Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, Scotland.

18^th CENTURY LANTERN CLOCK

BY WILLIAM JACKSON, LONDON.

First hand research and photographs by George W. Randall Archive, Co-founder in 1996

and former Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends' Association

Professional description of William Jackson Clock:-

“An 18^th century brass cased thirty-hour lantern clock with later arched brass dial signed W. Jackson, London, in a silver boss in the arch, the silvered dial with Roman numerals, hour hand only.

Overall height: 8 feet 3 inches (242 cms.).

The movement on four slightly tapering upright columns, plain arch enclosing bell with side fret arches intact. Crown wheel escapement, minor alterations, the whole now housed in an elegantly proportioned longcase, the domed caddy top above glazed door onto cavetto moulding over full height trunk door onto cavetto moulding onto upright rectangular base with plinth base, the whole case painted green and decorated with gilt cartouches enclosing a red field and vignettes of applied hand-coloured prints of 18^th century scenes and floral arrangements.”

+++++++ * +++++++

The inner circle time ring contains forty-eight evenly spaced increments

or four per hour, each equal to 15 minutes. As the hour hand advances past each increment it indicates quarter past the hour, half past the hour, quarter to the hour.

I am advised by antiquarian horologist and clockmaker, Dr. Christopher Edwards;,
“With only a single hour hand you can estimate the time to within a couple of
minutes by interpolating between the quarter-hour marks.

It would have been normal to use a sundial to set the time in the first place.

When the clock was made there was little requirement to know the time to the second

or even the nearest minute.

Life was less hurried in the 18^th century!

The time reads 10:15.

Caught in the act!

Note damage.

Location in Lady Bullough's Drawing Room.

Photographs taken in July 2003 ©

**********************************

Reviewed by the author 5 July 2023

GERMAN CASED 19^th CENTURY CLOCK
by THOMAS TURNER, LONDON

First hand on site research and Photographs by George W. Randall
©

Photographed May 1996 - Note: Missing right finial.

A 19^th Century German style oak cased clock the dial casing carved with

foliage and acanthus, with movement by Thomas Turner, London.

Professional description of Thomas Turner Clock:

“The square brass dial contains a silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals

and an outer circle time ring with sixty evenly spaced increments to denote minutes

in an hour. Within the chapter ring is a stippled gilt centre incorporating a revolving moon symbol geared to the hour shaft of the movement which indicates the current phase of the moon, and three winding points to provide power to the mechanical movement thus ensuring the various displays work in unison.”

……………………………………………..

Below the lower winding point the day is displayed.

Four silvered subsidiary dials, one at each corner, allow for slow / fast adjustment - upper left; chimes, gongs and bells, upper right; lower left - month;

lower right - day (1-31) of month.

There is also a small lever to the left of numeral IX,

marked “Chimes Silent” to turn the the chimes off.

The top, or hood section of the clock is a carved arch over four individually

carved knights each holding a hammer in his raised right hand above

his own bell in front of him.

Each hammer is operated by a length of cord; the mechanism runs every quarter hour.

Note: Badly wormed left finial - But both finials present. (March 2000)

The bell hammer cord to the two figures from left appears to be missing / broken (?)

Photographed August 1995.
Note missing right finial.

Updated 21 February 2023

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

JAPANESE BRONZE STUDY OF AN EAGLE

ON HARDWOOD STAND

First-hand research by George W. Randall Archive ©
Illustrations GWR Research Archive

Close attention to detail, excellent craftsmanship and naturalistic modeling combine in this signed study of a Japanese sea eagle, Halieaetus pelagicus, by Miyao Eisuke, 1868 - 1912.

The Yokohama Miyao Company manufactured and dealt in a wide range of craft goods including large-scale bronze figures of samurai, Shibayama-work panels and ivory figures.

July 2003. Scratch damage to bird's left side.

Overall height: 21 inches Height of stand: 15 inches

Height of eagle: 6 inches Diagonal tip of beak to tip of tail: 8½ inches

Initially based in Yokohama, from c.1890, in Nihonbashi-ku, the commercial centre of Tokyo, the Miyao company first exhibited at the second Naikoku Kangyo Hakurankai [National Industrial Exposition] where Miyao Eisuke collaborated with the bronze-caster Momose Sozaemon.

NOTE: Damage the right breast in this March 2006 image.

APRIL 2009.

↑ NOTE: Chipped beak and corner of damage to breast - follow arrow to wing.

Most likely purchased by George Bullough at the Fourth National Industrial Exhibition
held at Okazaki Park, Kyoto, Japan, (1 April to 31 July 1895),
during his three year long world tour.

APRIL 2009. Scratch damage to left side.

*******************************

POSTED 26 JULY 2016

Friday, July 22, 2016

JAPANESE, BURMESE & INDIAN ARTIFACTS

KINLOCH CASTLE CONTENTS AT RISK

Photographed and Researched © George W. Randall, founder and former Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends Association.

The future of Kinloch Castle remains uncertain placing its contents at risk of dispersal or loss.

Constructed for George Bullough, later Sir George, Baronet, between 1897 and 1900 this late Victorian Highland hunting lodge on the Isle of Rum, is located just south of the Isle of Skye, off Scotland’s west coast.

The castle remains fully furnished as a rare, possibly unique time capsule of the period and contains a magnificent collection of artistic treasures acquired during

Bullough’s three year-long world tour.

For sixty years, since acquisition in 1957 by the British Conservative Government
of the day, no appropriate body has been appointed, or sought,
to care for the red sandstone building or its remarkable collection of artifacts.

The purpose of my Blog is to record, highlight and describe these amazing
treasures in the interests of education and enjoyment in the hope that public awareness and concern will stimulate government to urgently address and ensure proper care and funding of this unique building and its contents in situ for generations to come.

Please read notes at end of this post,

THANK YOU!

*****************************
BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION-

JAPANESE THREE-FOLD EMBROIDERED SCREEN

George W. Randall Archive ©

A glazed Japanese three-fold finely embroidered silk screen each

panel68 inches (173 cms.) by 25½ inches (65 cms.) within a carved

wood mount of Prunus speciosa, the Oshima Cherry,

depicting numerous species of birds.

Above each a much smaller panel, encased in a carved mount

of dragons, portraying birds, insects and flowers.

The central panel was described as “detached” in the 1979 Inventory

and was photographically recorded as such in 2012 - thirty-three years

later - suffering brown staining along the bottom edge due to being stored directly on a wooden parquet floor close to double French doors.

Above each large panel is a much smaller panel,

encased in a carved mount of dragons, portraying birds, flowers and insects.

LEFT:

Reverse of missing panel depicting the peacock.

Secured to a wooden frame the lower half has suffered from being stored directly onto a parquet floor in high humidity.

RIGHT:

The missing panel is the middle of the three.

Amazingly, an offer to re-glaze and re-instate the damaged panel was REFUSED by the Scottish Natural Heritage Reserve Manager at the time.

In reality SNH were, and it would seem still are totally indifferent to the castle's contents -

they were not nature!

BELOW:
Photography struggles to do justice

to this amazing work of silk embroidery.

Updated May 2025

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> * <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

PAIR OF JAPANESE ONI WARRIORS

George W. Randall Archive ©

A pair of red lacquer figures of Oni in full battledress carrying a barrel suspended from a large kanabō (a knobbed wooden club) used as a weapon in Buddhist feudal Japan to cripple the opponent rather than kill. Each figure holds a small kanabō in his left hand. The visible end of the barrel has two partly open hinged doors revealing four drawers. To each side of the barrel is a double tassel suspended from a hook. Small pegs on the feet of the figures secure them to their ornately carved cinnabar and lacquer base which bears the gold coloured Trade Mark of Kuhn & Komor, Yokohama and Hong Kong.

As the Oni Warriors should be.

The image above was published in “Scotland’s Magazine” in December 1959,
thirty-four months after purchase of the 26,400 acre island and Kinloch Castle
by the Conservative Government of the day. Despite being recognised
as a fully furnished time capsule of the late Victorian/Edwardian Era
subsequent use of the building as a hotel in the late 1980’s to 1994,
allowed guests complete freedom to roam resulting in wear and tear plus
inevitable damage to a number of contents, including the Oni.

As the Warriors are today.

The image to the above was published in “Scotland’s Magazine” in December 1959, thirty-four months after purchase of the 26,400 acre island and Kinloch Castle by the Conservative Government of the day. Despite being recognised as a fully furnished time capsule of the late Victorian/Edwardian Era subsequent use of the building as a hotel in the late 1980’s to 1994, allowed guests complete freedom to roam resulting in wear and tear plus inevitable damage to a number of contents, including the Oni.

Photographed in August 1997 resting against a window in the former Butler’s Pantry the figures were minus their base, kanabō and barrel. Fortunately all but the tasseled barrel were subsequently found and the partly restored item displayed in the Castle Library.
___________________________

LEFT: The interior of Kuhn & Komor's 37 Water Street, Yokahama shop. Of particular note is the large Cloisonné Vase to the right, very similar, but not one to the pair purchased by George Bullough and displayed on the Great Hall Gallery at Kinloch Castle.

Kuhn and Komor was a Japanese curio business established by Isidor Komor and his cousin Arthur Kuhn in 1897, their China premises being opened the following year in the Palace Hotel, Shanghai, followed by stores in Hong Kong, Kobe and Singapore.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > * < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < <

INDIAN EMBOSSED BRASS CIRCULAR TABLE TOP

Pair Oak Triangular Chairs

An Indian embossed brass 32 inch diameter coffee table with panels of figures and animals on six legged folding traditional turned wood stand.

Also professionally described as “a large Indo-Persian table.”

During his world tour visit to India George Bullough visited a brass-ware workshop.

BELOW: Brass table in Great Hall - July 2002.

Note:

Pair oak corner arm chairs with

turnball spindle backs, legs and stretchers, triangular shaped seats covered in printed chenille velvet by
James Shoolbred & Co, London.

(Photographed July 1996.)

November 2006.

November 1978.

******************************

JAPANESE DOUBLE SIDED SCREEN

Photographed October 2005.

A large Japanese lacquer double-sided screen professionally

described as being of “the finest quality” onlaid with ivory, mother of pearl and wood.

Overall size: 50 x 88 inches (120 x 213 cms.)

The Obverse depicts two Samurai warriors under the bough of a pine tree on a blue background,

one fleeing with broken sword, the other clutching part of his opponents ripped tunic.

Signed.

The Reverse in coloured ivory of two characteurs with prunus and two finches
on pine tree branch, on a black background.

The whole on an elaborately carved wood stand with peony, ho-ho, lotus and lingzhi.

Signed.

*********************************

JAPANESE DISPLAY CABINET

A magnificent intricately carved Japanese hardwood display cabinet on a carved stand with square legs, measuring 36 x 70 inches (89 x 173 cms.) comprising a number of staged shelves, drawers and cupboards with black lacquer door panels painted with scenes of Mount Fuji, lakes and gardens in black and white.

Photographed March 2006

**************************************

JAPANESE RED LACQUER DISPLAY CABINET

on scroll legs with cloisonné panels depicting Mount Fuji, birds and prunus.

36 x 68 inches (88 x 167 cms.)

Displayed along the Ground Floor South Corridor.

October 2002

March 2006.

Detail October 2002 photograph.
The right-hand scroll appears already detached and just lying on top of the cabinet.

Detail March 2006 photograph.

Note the matching left and right scrolls in the image taken in October 2002,

and the missing right hand scroll in the March 2006 picture.

LEFT: October 2002

RIGHT: March 2006

Mount Fuji Prunus

***********************************************

INDIAN BRONZED METAL POT
AND COVER

ON JAPANESE JARDINIERRE STAND

(Displayed on first floor south corridor.)

During his three year-long world tour, (1892-1895), George Bullough visited much of India, including Darjeeling and the foothills of the Himalayas, India’s North-West Territories and Khyber Pass.

Described as originating in Kashmir,

this oviform pot is decorated with incised foliate in blue and red.

Height 15 inches. (36 cms.)

The pot is displayed on a Japanese carved walnut square jardinierre stand, the square top above a finely worked mask apron,

with two under-shelves on carved griffon cabriole legs with paw feet.

Height: 40 inches (98 cms.)