Bowls called ‘kraters’ were used in ancient Greece for mixing wine and water at ‘symposium’ parties. One side shows a seated woman and her attendant who is holding a basket. On the other is a scene showing Dionysus, the god of wine. It was bought from Harold Clemens, an enthusiastic collector of curios, who having been an avid reader of the Bazaar, Exchange and Mart magazine, decided to set up his own ‘Fir Tree hotel Museum of Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities’, in his public-house and bed and breakfast establishment at Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire. He set himself up as ‘Curator’ and advertised curios and other items from his ’small museum’ in the aforementioned journal. His timing was good, Tutankhamun’s tomb had recently been discovered, and there was great interest in the occult, spiritualism and all things ancient. His endeavour was therefore of great interest. Unfortunately some of his ‘antiquities’ were anything but. It belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Montague, who collected over 800 specimens, which he bequeathed to the museum upon his death.
