Helensburgh’s Hill House to benefit from Eric Knowles’s imaginative fundraiser

Yes, we do mean THE Eric Knowle. The respected BBC’s Antiques Roadshow director who has described Hill House as ‘the jewel in the crown of the National Trust for Scotland’, has been instrumental in arranging an eye-catching fundraiser for the building. The White Ladies Vase, a beautiful Mackintosh-inspired vase by one of Moorcroft Pottery’s leading designers, Nicola Slaney, is the prize in a raffle to raise funds for Hill House – the iconic property designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The vase has been donated by Moorcroft, of which Knowles is also a director.

The draw for the White Ladies vase will take place in December.. The vase is worth in excess of £2000 and references Mackintosh’s famous Glasgow rose and art-nouveau female figures. Mr Knowles says: ‘I was very impressed with The White Ladies design, which instantly reminded me of Mackintosh’s ‘kimono’ cabinet in which these shrouded ladies appear. Designer Nicola Slaney has created a most fitting interpretation, in my opinion.

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) is naturally delighted. Karen Fenwick, from Hill House says that they’re lucky to have such a strong supporter as Mr Knowles and welcome his generous donation. It will help the Trust to raise extra income to ensure that Hill House and its valuable collections receive the top-quality care they deserve.

Mr Knowles will visit The Hill House on 2 September on an invitation-only evening to open the exhibition: ‘Moorcroft’s New Dawn: 111 years of Design Evolution’. The exhibition is open to the public from 3rd September until 31st October and will cover pieces from 1897 to the present day.

The White Ladies Vase will be on show at The Hill House until 31st October. Raffle tickets cost £1 each and are exclusively available through The Hill House. Visit or phone on 0844 493 2208.