Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni is best known as simply Michelangelo. He is known best for being a sculptor and a painter, but he was also an architect and a poet, and a contemporary of one of the other greatest artists of the time, Leonardo da Vinci. Cardinal Riario invited Michelangelo to Rome in 1496, where he was commissioned to create one of his two greatest pieces, The Pieta. Michelangelo was a private man, preferring solitude to company, and was a staunch Catholic. He continues to be revered today as ‘the father and master of all the arts’.

Our sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than each of our other senses. They can detect thousands of different senses. And the connections from these sensors go directly to our most primitive brain centres. In order to preserve the expensive perfumes, the Egyptians designed containers for the precious oils and unguents. And some of the elaborate bottles and jars may be more valuable than the scent itself, and this sometimes continues to this day. Collecting scent bottles can appeal to all ages, experience and fortune. They can be a fascinating glimpse into our past history as well as visually attractive and transportable.

The story of Poole Pottery is a microcosm of the history of England during the last 120 years. It also follows the pattern that many potteries took, upturns to their fortunes and then falling demand as the patterns of life changed. Like many potteries, it has suffered from takeovers, merges, and economic problems. The pottery produced by Poole Pottery is full of vibrant colour, deep reds and many shades of blue together with lively designs. It is good to know that the fine quality of work continues up in Stoke-on-Trent and that you can find both new and old pieces of Poole Pottery to enjoy or add to your collections.