Portland Vase mug

The Portland Vase has been housed in the British Museum since 1810, when its owner, the Duke of Portland, placed it there on permanent loan. Sadly, in 1845 it was smashed to pieces by a visitor to the Museum. A repair was made and the vase was puton display once again. In 1945 the Museum received a bequest which enabled it to purchase the vase and another repair was done three years later. In 1989 the museums conservation department made a further restoration, skilfully breaking the vase andre-assembling it using modern conservation techniques.