The material within this collection comprises of correspondence and publications by and about Richard Francis Burton and his wife Isabel Burton (nee Arundell). There are also two photographs of Burton and artefacts.

Also included within this Collection are correspondence concerning the acquisition of the material by the RAS and some supplementary material regarding Oscar Eckenstein, its original collector.

The Richard Burton correspondence consists of a series of letters to Alexander George Ellis at the British Museum mainly concerning bibliographical enquiries. Each of these letters has been transcribed by Mary S Lovell

There are three letters from Isabel Burton: two are to Mr Cotton regarding publications and the third is a printed letter to ask for a review notice of her Richard Burton biography.

A Series of Letters from Richard Burton to Alexander George Ellis (British Museum) concerning bibliographical enquiries and other matters, dated 8 May 1887- 26 March 1890. All have annotated transcriptions by Mary S. Lovell, dated 24 October 1998

These letters have added significance for the RAS as Ellis was Honorary Librarian at the Society from 1919 to 1937.

Letter from Richard Burton to A.G. Ellis concerning authors and the Thousand Nights. He has quoted from Taymόr al Wahsh concerning popular tradition in Damascene. He has found the French colonies "casual and futile", having gone to Tunis to research for the Scented Garden. Handwritten from Hotel St. George, Algiers, dated 12 February 1890. With original envelope. With annotated transcription. (Letter in need of conservation as in two pieces). There is also a further typed attempted transcription with handwritten annotations done by an unknown hand.