A High Victorian legacy at Waddesdon Manor: Baron Ferdinand’s smoking room and its contents since the creation of Waddesdon

leben, ulrich;

The collection of Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild was assembled between 1874 and 1898. The display of objects within Rothschild homes of the Gilded Age shows that they formed part of the living space of
the family rather than being isolated in showcases or other settings as we know them today in public institutions and museums: the items in question were integral to the lives of the collectors and their
families. Waddesdon Manor, once the country house of Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, was planned with a specially designated room to house the collection, still known today as the smoking room. Luckily it was possible to recreate the original colour schemes of this room using samples of the original, non-faded fabrics. The furniture of the collection rooms was equally important for the collectors of the day.