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Correspondence regarding the potential donation to the Royal Asiatic Society by Mr David Pickup of photograph albums of Iraq in 1929-1930 and the decision to transfer them to the British Library. This includes the transfer document and formal acknowledgement letter from the British Library. 8 items

Correspondence concerning the sale of William Boutcher archaeological drawings of Assyrian sculptures made for the Assyrian Excavation Fund from 1853-1854. These were sold to the British Museum for £250 to be put with the drawings made by Boutcher post 1854. Fifteen letters and two statements, typed and handwritten.

Correspondence, newspaper cuttings and auction catalogues concerned with the sale of The Jami'al-Tawarikh Manuscript and Mughal illustrations from the Razmnama manuscript of 1598. Due to the financial needs of the Society in this period it was decided to sell these items. The correspondence follows the debate around whether to undertake the sale, the negotiations with Sotheby's the auctioneers, the outcome of the sale and following difficulties as to whether the purchaser was going to pay for the manuscript. Only two of the Mughal illustrations reached their reserve price at the sale. The press cuttings also follow the debate and that the manuscript was leaving the country. There is a Sotheby's Preview Calendar of Sales catalogue for June-July 1980 which features the The Jami'al-Tawarikh Manuscript (also called Rashid al-Din's World History" and a further individual catalogue for the manuscript. There are 83 items within the correspondence, 19 press cuttings and 2 catalogues.

Correspondence, newspaper cuttings and catalogues concerned with the sale of the Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings of Malacca. These had been donated to the Society by Lieut-Col. William Farquhar in 1827. They had been on permanent loan at the Natural History Museum but were in need of conservation. This the Society could not afford and the Natural History Museum were unable to help. The Society was also in need of funds and therefore a decision was made to sell the drawings. It was eventually sold to a private buyer who donated the drawings to the National Heritage Board of Singapore for display at the Singapore Art Museum. The correspondence covers the decision to sell, the controversy the decision caused, negotiations with the auctioneer, Sotheby's, correspondence with the descendants of Farquhar, with the solicitors, Woodroffes, and with other organisations. The press cuttings also highlight the controversial nature of the possible sale and the nature of the collection. The catalogues are produced by Sotheby's and the Preview catalogue for October 1993, the sales catalogue for "Topographical Paintings, Watercolours and Drawings" for 20 October 1993, and the specific sales catalogue for the Farquhar Collection. There are 177 items of correspondence including a copy of the original letter concerning the permanent loan of the material to the Natural History Museum (1935), 4 press cuttings two of which are photocopies, and 3 catalogues.

There are two letters from P.E. Pieris to Sir Richard Winstedt. The first thanks Sir Richard for informing him that the Council had agreed to sell the Painting to him for £100. Typed letter, 1 side, dated 1 January 1947. The Council Minutes for 12 December 1946 record that the Council "Agreed to sell a Dutch picture to Dr. P.E. Pieris for £100. The second thanks the Council for giving to him further pictures - four of which are to go to Colombo Museum, one to Kandy while the portrait of the "Moorish doctor" had given rise to a series of letters in the local paper. He also write about the sketches of gods and goddesses which the Society had offered to lend him for 6 months. Typed, 1 side, dated 5 May 1950. The Council Minutes for 8 December 1949 records "Sketches asked for by Dr. Pieris to be presented to him gratis". The Minutes for 9 February 1950 record "A letter of thanks from Mr Pieris for two Ceylonese sketches" and those for 20 April 1950 record "Resolved to give Dr. P.E. Pieris five pen-and-ink sketches of Ceylon viz. Nos. 2, 21, 22 and 23 of Portfolio 2 and No. 29 of Portfolio 4 and to lend him for 6 months coloured drawings of Hindu gods, etc., if desired."

Correspondence concerning the sale of an East Javanese, late Madjuaphit period volcanic stone ogee which was purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum for £37,500. Five items including a letter from Professor Dr. J.E. van Lohuizen-de Leeuw with an evaluation of the stone; two copies of an estimate from Spink & Son. Ltd.; a letter from Robert Skelton, Keeper, Indian department, Victoria and Albert Museum concerning purchase of the sculpture; and a receipt for the purchase.

Correspondence re sale of Carl Richard Lepsius' "Denmarker aus Agypten und Athiopen, 1849" handled by John Randall of Books of Asia. Six letters plus invoice.

Correspondence regarding sale of surplus books via John Randall. Three items.

This archive consists of lists and correspondence concerned with the disposal of items in the Collections of the Society. The Society has not kept comprehensive records throughout its history. Further information pertaining to Disposals of the Society may be found in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and in the Minute books for the Council and General Meetings. Disposals may continue in the life of the Society. More recent ones are held in the Society's records management system and will be transferred to the archive in due course.

Correspondence and notes re potential disposal of some of the Library - correspondence between members of Council, the Honorary Librarian and others about reducing the book stock by disposing of items either not in line with the Collections remit or incomplete sets of journals and newspapers. Consists of printed emails, handwritten notes and a list of potential periodicals for disposal. Includes seven electronic documents: 01-03 were originally created in 2004; 04 in 2005; 05 in 2008 ; 06-07 in 2010 and all were converted into archival documents in 2018.