Norman House in Mdina is expected to open to the public as Malta's first state-of-the-art museum by the end of next year, Maurice de Giorgio, chairman of Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, told The Times yesterday.
The property, known also as Palazzo Falson, used to be the residence of Captain Olof Gollcher (1889-1962), one of Malta's prolific collectors of exquisite objets d'art.
Capt. Gollcher called it Norman House because of the Siculo-Norman style of the building.
Part of the Norman House was built in the 13th century. Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti has a management agreement relating to the house, with the Gollcher Foundation.
Once the palazzo with its extensive collections is restored it will be turned into a house museum, showing visitors Capt. Gollcher's home as it was lived in his time. The restoration process is expected to cost up to Lm500,000. Museum lighting will be put in and the property covered by alarms and closed circuit television.
"Most of the funding will come from private individuals and corporate bodies and it is intended to have the names of the contributors displayed permanently in the museum.
"Once the museum is open to the public, it will be possible to hold regular specialised exhibitions.
"Individuals and commercial companies have been and are extremely supportive of our efforts, and indeed we look on our contributors as partners," Mr Degiorgio said.
During a meeting for benefactors, sponsors and patrons at the Manoel Theatre on Tuesday, Philip Farrugia Randon gave a colourful and lively backdrop about the life and times of Capt. Gollcher.
The inventory of this fabulous collection consists of around 4,000 books; 824 silver pieces; 691 ceramics; 534 glass items; 252 pieces of furniture; 212 paintings; 88 oriental rugs; 31 fans; 113 pieces of armour; 103 pieces of kitchenware; and about 160 items of jewellery.
There are in addition over 700 other items including pewter, drawings, model ships and snuff boxes.
In his light-touch style, Dr Farrugia Randon included in his presentation a slide of a chastity belt, quipping that some locksmiths had probably made a veritable fortune from extra keys. A Robin fob watch made during the French revolution shows only 10 hours, to fit the metric frenzy.
"Trust the French; in the times of the revolution, they lost their head over the metric system."
Olof was born in Valletta on March 17, 1889, an only son to Gustav Gollcher and Elisa née Balbi.
"He had some interesting ancestors on both sides. His mother's maiden surname, Balbi, immediately evokes the name of Francisco Balbi, the Spanish mercenary who took part in the Great Siege and regaled us with a unique diary of events.
"Henry Alexander Balbi, who translated the siege diary, was Olof's uncle," Dr Farrugia Randon said.
Olof joined the British army in 1914 and served in both world wars. He became a captain and was decorated for his valour with the medal of Montenegro.
Olof was kind-hearted and regularly held parties for groups of at least 100 poor and underprivileged people from Rabat and Mdina, offering them the best food and music.
During the past 40 years, the condition of the palazzo deteriorated because it remained closed.
Mr Degiorgio explained that an inventory of the collection was made which included colour photographs, a full description and condition report of each item.
The collection has been moved temporarily to a secure warehouse where there are facilities for restoration.
Dr Farrugia Randon explained that Olof and his wife Teresa bestowed the palazzo and its contents to the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem based in Clerkenwell, London.
Olof then ordered the formation of a foundation with the saving clause that if it transpired that the Order was unable or unwilling to accept the conditions of the bestowal, then the palazzo and its contents would be transferred to the foundation.
The Gollcher Group of companies were established in 1854 by Olof Fredrik Gollcher, a Swede who operated his own ships from Malta to North Africa, Sicily and the Adriatic Sea.
The Gollchers pioneered the first services between Malta and Gozo in 1854.