The Queens Ass
In the year 1762 a female zebra or ‘wild ass’ was given to Queen Charlotte and it became perhaps one of the most recognisable animals in Britain. The original image appeared as an illustration on a satirical song sheet which was a popular medium for serious and satirical political comment at this time. This item is found in a folder dated 1779 but a copy held elsewhere is dated much later, as published by Henry Howard in 1862, the Artist behind the illustration remains unknown.
Bute Archive Mount Stuart
The Bute Collection contains 25,000 rare books and artefacts in one of the UK’s foremost private collections. Housed in the magnificent Gothic revival mansion of Mount Stuart on the isle of Bute, it provides a glimpse into centuries of art and history reflecting the interests of successive generations of the Bute family. Visitors can view everything from works on theology and ornithology to porcelain and custom-made furniture. A recent find of global significance is a Shakespeare First Folio containing many of the Bard’s most familiar plays.
