The basis of the Fenton House collections is the life work of Victorian collector George Salting. He is best known for his bequest to the Victoria and Albert Museum of his magnificent collection of oriental porcelain -which is recognisable by its largely blue and white colour scheme and oriental themes.

The residue of his possessions form the furniture collection, paintings and drawings. Extra areas are the small collections of Staffordshire ware pottery groups and stoneware completes the collection. The collection of 18th-century porcelain is particularly strong in the work of the English factories, but there is also has a wide range of contemporary continental figures.

Continental porcelain is more comprehensively exhibited here than English, and is especially good for Meissen. Johann Joachim Kaendler dominated the scene at Meissen from 1731 to 1775. Over such a long period it is not surprising that the quality of his modelling varied enormously. His Harlequins were outstandingly successful and popular. Here are the Harlequin with Jug some dated 1738, and the Scowling Harlequin as well as other Italian Comedy figures such as Mezzetin depicted here with an especially exciting costume.

The magnificent display of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain, almost all of the Kangxi period (1662-1722) can be found on the first floor Blue Porcelain Room. The East India Company shipped enormous loads of porcelain from China to Europe in the mid 17th century. The vast majority of these imported pieces were in blue-and white patterns which Delft pottery began to copy almost immediately. By the early 18th century no great English house was complete without a collection - often of a mix of Chinese porcelain and Dutch pottery. They followed Queen Mary II's lead at Hampton Court and Kensington Palace.