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This archive consists of correspondence, documentation, reports and allied material concerned with the loans of the Collections of the Society to other institutions predominantly for exhibition but sometimes for more long-term care. The Society has not kept comprehensive records throughout its history. Further information pertaining to the Loans from the Society can be found in the Minutes for the meetings of the Council and Library Committees. Loans 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.

The Society has within its collections three Persian manuscripts: the Shahnamah of Muhammad Juki (RAS Persian 239), the Gulistan of Sa‘di (RAS Persian 258), and the Masnavi of Zafar Khan (RAS Persian 310). These are both fragile and of great value. Therefore since 1946 they have been housed at other institutions which are able to provide the necessary care for them, firstly with the British Museum, then the British Library, and currently at the Cambridge University Library.
The material in this subseries concerns the care of these manuscripts:

• Correspondence and documentation concerning the loan of the manuscripts to the British Museum. Typed and printed, 11 pieces, dated 15 April 1946 - 30 December 1965.
• Correspondence between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the conservation of the Shahnamah of Muhammad Juki manuscript, Typed, 13 pieces, dated 18 June 1992 - 29 September 1993.
• Correspondence between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the making of microfilm copies of the manuscripts. Typed, 5 pieces, dated 19 October 1993 - 4 November 1993.
• 'RAS Manuscript. Shahnama. Persian MS 239 Conservation Report and Estimate 31 May 1994' - conservation report. Typed, 9 pieces.
• Correspondence between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the further care of the manuscripts, Typed, 2 pieces, 4 November 1994 -10 August 1999.
• Correspondence, indemnity certificates and valuations for the documents for 1999 and 2002. Typed, printed and handwritten, 14 pieces, dated 7 September 1999 - 12 December 2002.
• Correspondence, loan contracts, condition reports and indemnity certificates between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society. The duration of loan was originally from 5 July 2010 to 4 July 2013. Typed, 28 pieces, dated 3 February – 1 July 2010.
• Correspondence and documentation between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the termination of the loan agreement and the discussion of returning the manuscripts. Typed, 10 pieces, dated 28 October 2010 - 7 February 2011.
• Loan documentation, indemnity certificate and valuations for the manuscripts for 2014. Typed and printed, 28 pieces.

The Society, in its history, has lent various of its collections to institutions on long term loans either because of specialist care needs of the items or because of a particular interest in the collections by the lending institution. The material in this series is the correspondence and documentation connected with these long term loans.

In the Council meeting on 10 April 1957 it was agreed that the Society would transfer on 'permanent loan' to the Victoria and Albert Museum, some of the paintings from its collections, including 74 Indian miniatures and one packet of 14 small architectural sketches. Further resolution on 8 April 1965 ruled that a volume of Indian Miniatures presented to the Society by Mr Nadir Baxter in 1826 be offered on indefinite loan to the V&A. These were primarily Indian miniature paintings from the Collections of James Tod and Nadir Baxter. These have subsequently been returned to the Society. The material in this subseries contains correspondence and documentation concerning the loan.

• Early correspondence between the V&A and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of the paintings to the V&A and subsequent tracing of them. Typed and photocopy, 10 pieces, dated 11 April 1957 - 16 November 1965.
• 'Victoria and Albert Museum: Objects Submitted on Approval for Loan' - list of all the items loaned in 1957. Photocopy of typed list with official form, 19 pieces, dated 16 May 1957.
• 'R.A.S. Indian Miniatures loaned to the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1957' - typed list with handwritten title, 18 pieces, undated.
• Valuation undertaken by Sotheby's of the items on loan. Printed and typed, 1 item, dated 23 June 1992.
• Schedule of Indemnity for the items on loan - incomplete form without valuations, annotated 'V&A list of RAS items on loan 1957 - 1998'. Typed and handwritten, 5 pieces, [1998].
• 'Loan of Indian Paintings by the Royal Asiatic Society to Victoria and Albert Museum' - typed list of the items with extensive handwritten annotations concerning the identification of the items, 22 pieces, dated 8 June 1998.

Since the 1960s the Society had deposited on indefinite loan some copper-plate grants and other inscriptions with the British Museum. The material in this subseries consist of correspondence and documentation concerning this loan.

• Correspondence between the British Museum and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the initial loan and the continuing care of the items. Typed and printed, 12 pieces, dated 29 November 1967 - 5 March 1973.
• Correspondence between the British Museum and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning indemnity insurance for the items on loan. Typed and handwritten, 4 pieces, dated 16 September 1993 - 25 October 1993.
• Correspondence and list between the British Museum and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the ongoing loan and production of photographs, Typed, 4 pieces, dated 20 April 1998 - 7 September 1999.
• Correspondence between the British Museum and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning obtaining a full list of the items loaned. Computer printed, 1 piece, dated 30 March 2016.

Material associated with loans from the Society's collections between 2015-2019:

• Loan and Exhibition Agreement between the Royal Asiatic Society and the National Gallery Singapore concerning the loan of artworks (Head Cat. No. 01.014, 025.072, 025.074i and 090.014) for the exhibition 'Artist and Empire' scheduled to open in October 2016. Typed, 8 pieces, dated 20 May 2016.
• Letter from the Réunion des Musées Nationaux Grand Palais concerning the loan of the portrait of Madhu Rao Narayan (Head Cat. No. 01.014) for the exhibition 'Des grands Moghols aux Maharajahs' scheduled to open in March 2017. Typed, 1 piece, dated 10 November 2016.

Material associated with loans from the Society's collections between 2011-2014:

• Correspondence and documentation between the Asia Society, New York and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of Shahnamah of Firdausi (RAS Persian 239) for the exhibition, 'Muhammad Juki's Shahnamah of Firdausi'. Computer printed, 69 pieces, dated 23 November 2010-25 January 2011.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of Shahnamah of Firdausi (RAS Persian 239) for the exhibition, 'Gifts of the Sultan: The Arts of Giving at the Islamic Courts'. This was a version of the exhibition held at the Asia Society. Typed and computer printed, 39 pieces, dated 8 December 2009 - 13 January 2012.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Diss Museum, Norfolk and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of the bust and portrait of Thomas Manning (Head Cat. No. 02.003 and 01.006), including two condition reports by Bronwyn Leone on the portrait. The portrait does not seem to be included in the loan eventually. Typed and handwritten, 8 pieces, dated January to February 2011.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, State of Qatar, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of Shahnamah of Firdausi (RAS Persian 239) for the exhibition, 'Gifts of the Sultan: The Arts of Giving at the Islamic Courts', This was the final destination of this exhibition. Printed and computer printed, 12, pieces, dated 23 - 25 March 2012.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the usage rights for historical photos for display in the permanent Exhibition 'The Hong Kong Story' and further usage rights for a photo for the exhibition, 'Hong Kong Observatory - Under the Same Sky 130 years'. Typed and computer printed, 8 pieces, dated 20 June 2011 - 4 June 2013.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of material for the Institute's exhibition on the Arabian Nights. Typed, computer printed and handwritten, 17 pieces, dated 26 March 2012.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Fondazione Roma Arte Musei, Italy, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of the Gulistan of Sa'di (RAS Persian 258) for the exhibition, 'Akbar, the Great Emperor of India'. Typed and computer printed, 31 pieces, dated 4 July 2011 - 25 May 2012.
• Correspondence between the Department of the Study of Religions, SOAS, London, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of material for the exhibition, 'The Everlasting Flame: Zoroastrianism in history and imagination', with condition reports on Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy's engraving (Head Cat No. 089.009) and Tarikh-i Bukhara (RAS Persian 159(1)). Typed and computer printed, 14 pieces, dated 29 February 2013.
• Correspondence from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, concerning the loan of manuscripts (RAS Persian 211, RAS Persian 239) and artworks (Head Cat. No. 051.001, 064.001) for the exhibition, 'A Score of Kingdoms' (later renamed to 'Kings & Pawns'), opening in March 2014. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 17 March 2013.
• Correspondence between the British Broadcasting Company and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of the film about Iraq for use in the programme Dan Cruickshank and the Lost Cities of Iraq. Typed, 8 pieces, dated 21 May 2013 - 12 July 2013. Also Correspondence regarding secondary use. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 10 April 2017.
• Correspondence from the Museum of London concerning the renewal of the loan of the framed portrait of the Parsi shipbuilders (Head cat. no. 01.007-008) for one year for their 'Expanding City' gallery, with loan agreement, 3 pieces, dated 21 March 2013. The portrait had been on loan to the Museum since September 2009. Also included are two sets of Exhibition and Loan Condition Report of the portrait compiled by Jacobs Conservation and Preservation in 2013, with close-up images of the portrait, 23 pieces.

Material associated with loans from the Society's collections between 2006-2010:

• Correspondence from the Louvre, Paris, to the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the possibility of the loan of a manuscript for their exhibition 'Treasury of the World - Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals'. Typed, one piece, dated 19 May 2006.
• Correspondence and publicity material between the Royal Asiatic Society and Christie's, London, regarding the exhibition 'In Good Company - The Royal Asiatic Society and India' held at Christie's premises18-21 May 2008. Typed and printed, 4 pieces, dated 12 March 2008.
• Correspondence and documentation between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of photographs to the Library to create images for an exhibition in China and allied publication. Typed and photocopied, 5 pieces, dated 11 August 2008.
• Correspondence from the Museum of London concerning the loan of the framed portrait of the Parsi shipbuilders (Head cat. no. 01.007-008) for three years beginning from 2009, 1 piece, dated 26 October 2008.
• Correspondence and documentation between Kingston University, London, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of material for the exhibition, 'Dora Gordine: Sculptor, Artist Designer'. Typed and printed, 6 pieces, dated 18 December 2008 - 30 January 200[9].
• Correspondence between the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of Persian manuscripts (Persian 178, 241, 239) for the exhibition, 'A Thousand Years of Celebrating Kingship: Shahnama', later renamed to ‘Epic of the Persian Kings: The Art of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh’. These include condition reports, loan contracts and loan agreements, etc. Typed, 54 pieces, dated 23 April 2009 - July 2010.
• Correspondence between the BBC and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the use of part of the film belonging to the Society's collections for their programme, 'What the Ancients Did for Us'. Typed, 5 pieces, dated 5-9 February 2010.
• Correspondence, documentation and publicity material between Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning loan of items for the exhibition 'India East/West: The Age of Discovery in late Georgian India as seen through the Collections of the Royal Asiatic Society, London'. Typed and printed, 48 pieces, dated 25 May 2009 - 1 March 2010.
• Correspondence and documentation between Cecile Leon, Paris, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of photographs for the exhibition, 'From These Barren Rocks: First Photographs of Hong Kong'. Typed, 3 pieces, dated 4 August 2010.
• Correspondence, documentation and publicity between the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Munich Germany, Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of items for the exhibition, 'Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Court.' Typed and printed, 81 pieces, dated 19 August 2008 - 8 August 2012.

Material associated with loans from the Society's collections between 2001 and 2005:

• Correspondence on behalf of the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan, the British Museum, London, and the Asia Society New York to the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of items to the exhibition, 'Hunt for Paradise: Court Arts of Safavid Iran, 1501-76'. Typed, 10 pieces, dated 21 December 2000 - 27 June 2004.
• Acknowledgment of collection between Curzon Press and the Royal Asiatic Society for the copying and rebinding of a book. Typed, 1 piece, dated 28 June 2001.
• Correspondence between the Royal Academy of Music, London, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the possible loan of a photograph for an exhibition on the erhu family of instruments. Typed, 1 piece, dated 24 July 2001.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of photographs for the exhibition, 'Traces of India: Photography, Architecture, and the Politics of Representation'. Typed and printed, 36 pieces, dated 20 June 2002 - 23 September 2004.
• Correspondence and documentation between the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of artworks for an exhibition. Typed and printed, 7 pieces, dated 17 March - 30 November 2004.
• Correspondence and documentation between Asia Society, New York, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of a manuscript and paintings for the exhibition, ‘Asian Games: The Art of Contest’. Typed and printed, 33 pieces, dated 20 September – 29 November 2004.
• Correspondence and documentation between Asia Society, New York, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of a folio of a manuscript for the exhibition, ‘The Arts of Kashmir’. Typed, 4 pieces, dated 13 October 2005 – 9 February 2006.

Material associated with loans from the Society's collections between 1991 and 2000.

• Correspondence between the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of manuscripts for a photographic exhibition of Indonesian manuscripts, 'Golden Letters' to tour major towns in Indonesia. Typed and printed, 22 pieces, dated 11 December 1990 - 28 April 1994.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Asia Society, New York, the British Library, the Kunsthal, Rotterdam and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning loan of material for the exhibition, 'The Court Arts of Indonesia' which first went to the Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, and then travelled to the Netherlands. Typed, printed and photographic, 36 pieces, dated 21 October 1988 - 14 August 1992.
• Letter from Frances Wood, Curator, British Library to Dennis Duncanson, Royal Asiatic Society concerning the possible loan of a Persian manuscript for an exhibition of oriental books and manuscripts illustrating gardens. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 19 June 1992.
• Correspondence between the National Museum, Singapore, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the possible loan of Malay manuscripts for an exhibition to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of Sir Stamford Raffles landing in Singapore. Two pieces, typed, dated 12 October - 20 October 1992.
• Correspondence between the Musée de L'Homme, Paris, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the possible loan of a Persian manuscript for their exhibition about Herat, Afghanistan. Typed, six pieces, dated 20 September 1995 - 24 November 1995.
• Correspondence, documentation and publicity material between the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of artworks for the 'Royal Persian Paintings: The Qajar Epoch 1785-1925' which opened in 1998. This exhibition then went to the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London and there is some material associated with that exhibition also. Typed and printed, 64 pieces, dated 29 June 1995 - 6 January 1999.
• Correspondence and documentation between the British Museum, Department of Coins and Medals, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of the portrait of Alexander Cunningham for the exhibition, 'From Persepolis to the Punjab: Coins and the Exploration of the East'. Typed, printed and handwritten, 7 pieces, dated 27 March 1997 - 2 September 1977.
• Correspondence and documentation between the British Museum, Department of Ethnography, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of manuscripts for an exhibition on Sir Stamford Raffles. Typed and printed, 15 pieces, dated 3 September 1996 - 26 April 1999.
• Correspondence and documentation between the British Museum, the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of items for the 'Persian and Indian Paintings Exhibition from the Royal Asiatic Society Collections' held at the British Library, June - October 1998 to mark the 175th anniversary of the Society. Typed and printed, 35 pieces, dated 20 February - 26 October 1998.
• Correspondence between the Royal Armouries, Leeds, and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan and care of a suit of armour belonging to the Society, Typed, 14 pieces, dated 27 May 1998 -27 September 2001.
• Correspondence and publicity material between the National Galleries of Scotland and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of 2 paintings for 'The Tiger and the Thistle: Tipu Sultan and the Scots in India, c.1760 -1800' Exhibition. Typed and photocopied, 9 pieces, dated 3 August 1998 - 24 August 1999.
• Correspondence regarding the possible loan of the VHS copy of the Northern Iraq film to be used in a Channel 4 series, 'Lost Worlds'. Typed and photocopied, 3 pieces, dated 13 January 1999.
• Correspondence between the American Museum of Natural History and the Royal Asiatic Society regarding the possible loan of a painting for the 'Body Art: Marks of Identity' Exhibition. Typed, 3 pieces, dated 23 February 1999.
• Correspondence and documentation between the Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery, Powys, Wales and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the loan of manuscripts for their exhibition, 'Major David Price and the East India Company. Typed and printed, 15 pieces, dated 3 August 2000 - 4 April 2001.