The Fonthill Vase

At the time, porcelain was extremely precious because the secret of how to make it was only known in China. This vase was thought to be so special that a fancy spout and handle were added to turn it into a jug.

The relief decoration — the bits raised up from the surface — would have been considered experimental at the time, but what makes it so important, you might ask? It’s just a vase!

The vase's importance lies in its remarkable journey, having been given as a gift to kings and emperors and travelling intact around the world before being purchased by the National Museum of Ireland for just £28 in 1882. It was the first porcelain artefact to ever be written about!

Today, it is considered priceless and is the oldest example of its kind in Europe, on display at the National Museum of Ireland's Decorative Arts and History in Collins Barracks, Dublin.