The Castle Howard Cabinets

The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge saved an important pair of 17th century Roman ‘pietre dure’ cabinets from export, with the help of an NHMF grant. These unique and highly prized cabinets have been part of the private collection at Castle Howard, Yorkshire, since they were purchased by Henry Howard, the 4th Early of Carlisle in the 1700s. A temporary export bar was placed on the 400-year-old Italian cabinets after they were sold to a foreign buyer at auction, providing an opportunity to save them for the nation.