A La Ronde displays another treasure

7:35pm Sunday 4th May 2008

THIS season visitors to the National Trust's A la Ronde will be able to see items not normally on display.

Staff at the unique 16-sided house, situated on the outskirts of Exmouth, have been choosing the most quirky or interesting items in the collection and, as the house is stuffed full of the many objects and mementoes collected by the Parminter cousins during their grand tour of Europe in the late 18th century, there are a good many to choose from.

The second item to be selected for display is a carved wooden box, with an interior lined with paper covered in charming watercolour paintings of flowers and figures in 1750's dress.

The box also contains a painting kit, ivory palette, earthenware mixing saucers and phials of pigment. It will be on display from Saturday, May 3 to Wednesday, May 29 during normal opening hours.

Assistant Property Manager Salli Carr-Griffin said: The Drawing Room contains the widest variety of objects that are associated with the Parminters and parlour pastimes. "In addition to the feather frieze, shell work, intricate paper cuts, and decorated furniture there are exquisitely delicate watercolours, two with decorated borders that are typical of the Parminter cousins' work.

"The box is charming, and it is wonderful to think of the contents being used all those years ago. The colours of the lining paper in the box are quite vibrant as it is never normally exposed to daylight."