The Wernher Collection

Gold pendant jewel of an opal-set lizard with ruby collar and eyes Visit London's Ranger's House, Greenwich and discover what one man with a passion for collecting spent his fortune on, and why.

Arguably one of the finest and most unusual 19th century mixed art collections in the world, the Wernher Collection contains over 650 exhibits dating from as far back as 3BC. It's an eclectic mix of superb jewellery, bronze, ivory, tapestry, furniture, porcelain and paintings imaginatively presented in 12 rooms of the elegant property.

You'll find rare Old Masters by Francesco Francia, Filippino Lippi, Hans Memling and Gabriel Metsu and portraits by English painters Reynolds, Romney and Hoppner. One room is devoted to what is believed to be the largest collection of Renaissance jewellery in the country.

Look out for a gold and opal encrusted pendant in the shape of a lizard adorned with rubies for its collar and tongue. Other highlights include exquisite carved medieval, Byzantine and Renaissance ivories, Limoges enamels and immaculate Sevres porcelain.

Not everything in the collection may be considered beautiful - some items can only be described as splendidly unusual! If you like the weird and the wonderful you'll love the enamelled skulls and the miniature coffin complete with 3D skeleton…

Who was Sir Julius Wernher?

Born in Germany, he came to London at the age of just 21 where his aptitude at business was spotted by diamond dealer Jules Porges. Acting as his agent, Sir Julius was sent to the mining town of Kimberley, South Africa, where in just four years he transformed Porges' company into the largest importer of Cape diamonds in London.

Sir Julius returned and settled in London in 1881. He later married Alice Sedgwick Mankiewicz (known as 'Birdie'), running his expanding financial empire and indulging his passion for collecting. With a remarkable eye for materials and craftsmanship, he never bought a piece he felt would reduce the standards of his collection and shied away from superficially attractive pieces of lesser quality. He died in 1912 leaving an £11 million fortune.

The collection was formerly housed at Bath House in Piccadilly, Sir Julius's London residence and at his country home, Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire. The exhibits you can see at Ranger's House were pieces collected by Sir Julius from the 1890s onwards.