A detailed guide to the Waddesdon Bequest, a collection of precious jewels, decorative arts, and other treasures bequeathed to the British Museum by Baron Ferdinand Rothschild in the late 19th century. Lavishly illustrated and expertly curated, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of decorative arts and the treasures of European aristocracy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.