Gorer v Lever - National Museums Liverpool

powder­blue with famille verte enamel dishes for 360 guineas. 13 Porcelains of theKangxi (1662­1722), Yongzheng (1723­35) and Qianlong (1736­95), periodswould dominate the market both in Britain and America up until the First WorldWar and this predominantly ‘millionaire’s taste’ was what dealers such as Gorerand Duveen promoted and supplied (Fig.2).Fig. 2. A blue­and­white Chinese porcelain garniture of three jars and two beakers. Kangxi period (LL 96­100). Example ofa typical Kangxi piece.By May the following year, Gorer had purchased the Trapnell Collection ofChinese porcelain, which, as the advertisement announced, may be viewed ‘onpresentation of a visiting card only’. 14 This was one of Edgar’s innovations. Nolonger was it necessary to make an appointment or pay a fee; this was anopportunity for the lady or gentleman, perhaps new to collecting, to come andbrowse what promised to be an extensive display. Edgar also published acatalogue of the Trapnell Collection, the first of a series of lavishly illustratedsales catalogues he produced. 15 Like Duveen, he recognised the importance of13‘Huth Sale’, The Times, 19 May, 1905, p 12.14‘Art Exhibition’, etc, The Times, 15 May, 1906, p.2. Alfred Trapnell (1838­1917), was aship's captain, born in Bristol and the son of a metal smelter. This was just one of Trapnell’scollections of Chinese and European porcelains which he built up and sold throughout his life.See his entry on the Chinese Art Research into Provenance (CARP) site:http://www.hatii.arts.gla.ac.uk/admn/php/carp/search.php.15S. Gorer, Trapnell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain, London, 1906.5