Series RAS COLL8/5 - Conservation Projects

Throughout its history conservation work has been carried out on items in the Society's collections. The material in this series consists of reports and correspondence connected to conservation projects. These are:

• 'The Conservation of Two Indian 18th century Botanical Watercolours from the Royal Asiatic Society by Neale Freeman' - a report of the conservation of two paintings from the William Jones' collection undertaken by Freeman for his BTEC Higher National Diploma in Paper Conservation final Assessment Project (January-March 1989). Typed, bound report.
• 'Higher National Diploma Conservation Project: The Conservation of Three Paintings Pasted Together: Graeme Gardiner, Summer 1990' - report of the conservation of the three paintings (Head Cat. 015.012). It also contains Conservation Reports on the Drawings, Prints and Watercolours, February 1989, and the Works of Art on Paper, Palm-leaf scrolls and Rare Books, November 1989. Typed and bound, 1990.
• 'The Conservation of a Persian Manuscript 1990, D. Meshiea' - report created by Doretta Meshiea for her BTEC Higher National Diploma in Paper Conservation Final Assessment Project on the conservation of a copy of the poetry by Najib Ud-Din. Typed and bound.
• Conservation of the manuscript RAS Malay 142 - correspondence between the Royal Asiatic Society, the conservator Don Baker, the British Library, and the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust re the funding for and the conservation of this manuscript. There is also the final conservation report. Typed, 20 pieces, dated 2 February 1991 - 22 February 1994.
• Schlagintweit's 'Scientific Mission to India and High Asia' - correspondence and report from from the conservator Kate Colleran concerning the condition of this volume and an article on its importance from the Indian Journal of History of Science, 24(1): 67-83 (1989), typed and printed, 9 pieces, dated 1989 -14 July 1991.
• Shahnamah of Firdausi, of Muhammad Juki (RAS Persian 239) - correspondence between the Royal Asiatic Society, Don Baker conservator, James Brockman conservator, David Jacobs conservator and Cheryl Porter conservator and reports concerning the conservation of this manuscript carried out by David Jacobs in 1996 with further conservation in 2000-2004. Typed with accompanying photographs, 34 pieces, dated 15 July 1992 - 9 November 2004.
• Qajar Painting of Two Girls (Head Cat. 01.002) - letter from Simon Gardiner, picture restorer concerning the condition of this painting and that of two others and the cost of conservation. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 17 January 1997.
• Correspondence and report from Anne Ablett, Conservator of Historic frames concerning conservation of the frame of the painting 'The Maratha Peshwa with Nana Fadnavis (RAS Cat.01.014) and a further report recommending the treatment by Michael Pollock, Royal Asiatic Society Librarian. Typed and handwritten, 6 pieces, dated 24 April - 2 June 1997.
• 'Cleaning and Repair of a 19th century Watercolour and two Accompanying Objects, Conservation of 19th Century Construction Plan and Label' by Kate Toyne undertaken for her BA (Hons) Paper Conservation, Camberwell College, 1997 - report of the conservation of a Plan and View for the laying-out of Darjeeling (Head Cat. 023.001). Typed and ringbound, 1997.
• Suit of Armour - copies of letters from Michael Pollock, Royal Asiatic Society to Alison Draper, Royal Armouries, Leeds, concerning the conservation of the suit of armour belonging to the Society. Typed, 27 pieces, dated 11 December 1997 - 13 September 2001.
• James Tod Collection of Paintings - correspondence between the Royal Asiatic Society and Graeme Gardiner, Preservation Solutions, concerning the conservation of the paintings in the Tod Collection. Typed, 7 pieces, dated 31 January 2000 - 29 December 2000.
• Letter from Clark Worswick, Consulting Curator of Photographs, Peabody Essex Museum, to Michael Pollock, Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society to express his concern at the condition of the Society's photographic collections. Typed, 1 piece, dated 8 January 2001.
• RAS Persian MS 278 - correspondence from Kathy Abbot, Conservation Department, Bernard Quaritch, and reports on the conservation of this manuscript needed for exhibition at the Asia Society Museum. Typed with accompanying photographs, 6 pieces, dated 31 July 2003 - 26 January 2004.
• Letter from John Mumford, book and paper conservator to Alison Ohta, Curator, Royal Asiatic Society, concerning the conservation needs of RAS Persian MS 211. Typed, 1 piece, dated 30 January 2004.
• Letter from Helen Cordell, Honorary Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society, to David Jacobs, conservator, to ask him to come to assess the Rajasthani scrolls of genealogies in the James Tod collection. Typed, 1 piece, dated 9 November 2004.
• Royal Asiatic Society Conservation Documentation Records for conservation work carried out by Alex Teoh. Typed, 20 pieces, dated 24 July 2007 - 5 September 2007.
• RAS Persian MS 251 (Sa'di Bustan) - an estimate for the conservation of this manuscript from David Jacobs. Typed with accompanying photographs, 6 pieces, dated 21 January 2008.
• RAS Burmese MS 86 - correspondence, reports and applications for funding concerning the conservation of this manuscript and its binding tape (sazigyo). Typed, 17 pieces, dated 14 June 2007 -3 April 2009.
• Portrait of Thomas Manning - conservation report for this painting by Bronwyn Leone, Accredited Paintings Conservator &Restorer, 1 piece, typed, dated September 2010
• Letter of thanks from Kathy Lazenbatt, Royal Asiatic Society Librarian to John Dunlop, The University of London Extra-Mural History of Art Society, for the donation towards the re-framing of some of the Society's pictures. Typed, 1 piece, 17 May 2012.
• Invoice for an acrylic screen for the Qajar ladies painting (RAS Cat.01.002) from Colin Jane Lindley. Typed, 1 piece, dated 22 March 2013.
• Kabuki concertina album (Head Cat. 077.011/89) - estimate from C.M. Edmondson, Conservator, for the conservation of this album. Typed, 1 piece, dated 4 April 2011. Further letter concerning the condition of the album from Hamish A Todd, Lead Curator, Japanese and Korean, British Library, typed, 1 piece, dated 13 October 2014.
• Jain Heritage Project - Project proposal, Memorandum of Understanding between the Jiv Daya Foundation and the Royal Asiatic Society, bi-monthly Progress Reports, timeline, correspondence, reports and invoices concerning the conservation of thrww items of Jaina heritage in the Society's collections (Head Cat. 065.001, Head Cat. 069.001, and Tod MS 34. Typed and handwritten, 38 pieces, dated 30 January 2012 - 7 February 2014.
• Latin-Chinese Dictionaries (Chinese MS 1) - application form, reports, correspondence between the Royal Asiatic Society, the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust and the Sino-British Fellowship concerned with the funding of the conservation of these dictionaries. Typed, 50 pieces, dated 25 September 2014 - 17 February 2016.
• Appeal advertisement to raise fund for the conservation of the manuscript RAS Burmese 86 and its sazigyo (woven braid). Computer printed, 1 piece, dated 1 May 2019.