Art Treasures of Kinloch Castle

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!

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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

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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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.)