The Khalili Collection of Enamels of the World is a private collection of enamel artworks from the period 1700 to 2000, assembled by the British-Iranian scholar, collector and philanthropist Nasser D. Khalili. It is one of the eight Khalili Collections, each of which is considered among the most important in its field. The most extensive private collection of its kind, it consists of over 1,300 pieces and showcases the evolution of enamelling over a 300-year period. By including objects from Western Europe, Russia, Islamic countries, China, Japan, and America, it shows how these centres of enamel production influenced each other's styles. The best-known European enamellists are represented, including Peter Carl Fabergé, Cartier, and René Lalique, along with the Meiji-era Japanese artists who perfected the firing process. The collection illustrates the role of patronage in enamelling as many of its objects were created for royal or imperial households. These include the enamelled chariot belonging to Bhavsinhji II, Maharaja of Bhavnagar and a painted enamel throne table with the seal mark of the 18th century Chinese Qianlong emperor. Other objects include presentation chargers, jewellery, miniatures and ornamental pieces. The collection was the basis for a 2010 exhibition at the Hermitage Museum. The collection The collection is one of eight assembled, conserved, published and exhibited by Khalili, each of which is considered among the most important in its field, according to UNESCO. Three of them contain enamels, the others being the Khalili Collection of Japanese Art and the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. The enamels collection consists of over 1,300 pieces and showcases the evolution of enamelling over a 300-year period. It is the most comprehensive private collection of its kind. Works European works A range of enamelling techniques, including plique-à-jour, ronde-bosse, and basse-taille were used by European craftsmen from 1700 onwards. Watchmakers in Geneva and silver-workers in Augsburg integrated enamel decoration into their work. Limoges in France was a centre for painted enamel from the late 15th century onwards. French workshops developed polychrome techniques in the early 17th century, giving their works much greater realism, similar to watercolour and gouache portraits. Portraits on painted enamel, as a way of decorating small objects, became common until largely replaced by portrait photography. Other uses of enamel continued into the 20th century, with mass production used for many kinds of wares from the most mundane to award-winning artistic examples. The collection's European works come from