An extremely valuable gift by one of Australia’s most generous philanthropists and arts patrons has elevated the status of the collection of decorative arts held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales to one of international significance.

Kenneth Reed, a Sydney-based retired lawyer and keen collector of decorative arts, announced on the 16^th of October that he will bequeath his entire collection of 200 pieces of rare and valuable 18th-century European porcelain to the Gallery.

Valued at $5.4 million, the extraordinary collection will complement the $7 million worth of old master paintings, 18th-century porcelain and pieces of Italian maiolica from the 16th and 17th centuries that Reed donated to the gallery in 2010.

“This most generous gift to the Gallery represents a significant addition to the Gallery’s European collection. Ken has been one of our most generous benefactors in the history of this Gallery”, said Michael Brand, director, Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Highlights of the collection include a spectacular group of parrots originally modelled at Meissen by Joseph Joachim Kändler for Maria Josepha of Austria, Kandler’s  Meissen porcelain sculpture The Spanish Lovers and a pair of Vincennes soft-paste porcelain vases painted by André-Vincent Vielliard.

Also included in the bequest are fine examples of Vincennes and Sèvres porcelain, important figures from the Wallendorfer porcelain factory as well as an extensive range of wonderful Chelsea figures and wares from all periods of the factory’s production.

According to Richard Beresford, senior curator of European art, “We have never owned anything comparable in range and quality to this collection but now the Gallery will be able to show some of the highest quality 18th-century porcelain in the world.”

Inspired by visits as a child to the Art Gallery of New South Wales where his father used to take the family on Sunday afternoons, Reed has been a collector of European paintings and decorative arts for more than 25 years.  His most recent gift ranks him among the top benefactors in the Gallery’s history.

In addition to his bequest, Reed also contributed $550,000 towards the Gallery’s purchase of an important Italian renaissance maiolica masterpiece, Francesco Xanto Avelli’s Sack of Rome plate of 1530. The place was acquired by the Gallery in 2011 previous to which, in 2009, it was sold by Sotheby’s in London for 481,250 GBP against an estimate of 40,000 - 60,000 GBP.

Click the slideshow to see some of the objects donated by Reed