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Various items connected with the Society's emblems:
Wood block for printing the Society's tree emblem and motto. Wood block for printing of elephant emblem. Steel engraving of Royal Asiatic Society seal. Two examples in green wax of the seal of the Society's elephant emblem. One example in red of the Society's elephant emblem. Plaster cast of the Society's tree emblem and motto with a fragment of the Society's emblem with wreath.

At irregular intervals short histories and statements concerning the activities of the Society have been produced for promotional purposes. Many of these are undated but an approximate date can be estimated from their contents. The statements available are:

• An account of the Society's activities with an accompanying letter from George A. Grierson, dated 8 March 1923. Typed and handwritten, 13 pieces
• 'An Extract from the Indian Pioneer Mail' concerning the Royal Asiatic Society. Typed, 2 pieces.
• A handwritten account of the Society's activities, 2 pieces c.1920.
• 'A Brief Account of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, founded 1823' - a typed account of the origins and activities of the Society, 3 pages, [1936-1977].
• 'The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland: A Summary of its Achievements and Activities' - a typed account of the activities of the Society, 3 pages, [1935-1977].
• 'The Society's Prizes' - a single typed sheet listing the Society's Prizes and Publication Funds [1935-1977].
• 'Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 56, Queen Street, London, W.1, England: Memorandum' - typed statement of the history, activities and expenditure of the Society possibly written as an appeal letter to the Ford Foundation, 2 pages [1947-1988].
• 'Royal Asiatic Society: Founded 1823' - annotated typed draft of the history and activities of the Society, 4 pages, [1952-1955].
• 'Royal Asiatic Society (incorporated by Royal Charter) - typed page listing the activities of the Society and current subscription rates, 1 page, [1943-1952].
• 'The Royal Asiatic Society' - 2 typed drafts of a statement about the history and activities of the Society. One is heavily annotated and ascribed to Sir Richard Winstedt, 7 and 6 pages, [1952-1955].
• 'Royal Asiatic Society' - printed promotional material to attract new members, 1 page, [1947-1988].
• 'India's Connection with the Royal Asiatic Society' - typed list of the ways in which India has close links with the Society, 1 page [1962-1963].
• 'A History of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1823-1998'- typed lists of Presidents, Directors, Treasurers, Honorary Treasurers, Librarians, Honorary Librarians, Secretaries, Honorary Secretaries, Secretaries and Librarians, Honorary Editors, Honorary Reviews Editors, Gold Medallists, Burton Memorial Medallists and Sinor Medal for Inner Asian Studies, 6 pages [1998].
• 'The Relaunch of the Royal Asiatic Society' by Professor Anthony Stockwell, published in Newsletter 46 of the International Institute for Asian Affairs, Winter 2008.

Two notebooks containing dates and instances of when the Society's seal was used - these include for such things as Honorary Fellowship certificates, Prize certificates, Share certificates and official authorisations. The books cover the time periods 1971-79 with additional 1999; and 1987-2001.

The material in this catalogue was formed in the administration of the Governance of the Royal Asiatic Society. They include Reports and Statements, Correspondence concerned with both internal and external business, Attendance Books, Records of use of the Society's Seal, examples of emblems and seals, and some other ephemera.

During the Administration of the Society reports are often created either to prepare for a forthcoming meeting of the Council or sub-committee or to report back after such a meeting. Occasionally reports are created for external purposes. These reports, or summaries thereof, are often incorporated into the Minutes of the Meetings. The ones in this series are those that supplement the Minutes. These are:

1980

• 'The Future of the Royal Asiatic Society' by A.S. Bennell, Director, 2 pages, dated 17 July 1980.

  1988

  • Report from the President, Frank F. Steele, to Members of the Council outlining the finances and future plans for the Society's building, 5 pages, dated 28 September 1988.
  • Report from the President, Frank F. Steele, to Members of the Council outlining estimates for finances and information regarding membership, 2 pages, dated 2 November 1988.

  1989

  • 'Keeping the R.A.S. Alive' - critique of the outreach of the Society, 1 page, dated 29 January 1989.
  • Paper for the Council Meeting of 14 December 1989:
  • Journal Publication by Frank F. Steele, 1 page, dated 4 December 1989.

  1990

  • Papers for the Council Meeting of 8 February 1990: Development Committee; National Association for Asian Studies; Procedure for the Election of Fellows; Nominations for the Council; Finance; all written by Frank F, Steele, 7 pages, dated 31 January 1990.
  • Papers for the Council Meeting of 12 April 1990: Working Group on Development; Questionnaire; Distribution of Fellows; Appointment of a Full-time paid Director; Entry Procedure; Grant to Professor C.N. Kejariwal; all written by Frank F. Steele; 11 pages, dated 22 March - 3 April 1990.
  • Minutes of the Meeting of the Working Group on Development held on 24th May 1990, 2 pages.
  • Papers for the Council Meeting of 14 June 1990: RAS Nominee to the SOAS Governing Body; Proposal for an In-house Conservation Unit; both by Frank F. Steele, 6 pages, dated 6 June - 9 June 1990.
  • Reports and correspondence on the possibility of the Society sponsoring the serious study of Asia in the UK: report from Cyril Philips, Richard Gombrich and Michael McWilliam, dated July 1990; Note on discussion between Professor Wansbrough, Dr. Raeside and Mr McWilliam, dated 12 October 1990; letter from Dr Peter Robb, Chairman, Centre of South Asian Studies, to Professor Cyril Philips, dated 30 October 1990; 3 pages in total.
  • Proposal and documentation concerning working with Dr Samuel N.C. Lieu, on Manichaean Studies, 4 pages, dated 21 October to 5 November, 1990.
  • Minutes for the 'Ad hoc Meeting to consider further the proposal to Publish "Asian Studies Today" (renamed "Asian Heritage") held on Thursday 29th November at 10.30am', 1 page.

  1991

  • Reports from the Honorary Treasurer, J.A. Payne, to the Council regarding various aspects of the finances of the Society, 10 pieces, dated 30 January - 29 November 1991.

  1992

  • Report from the Honorary Treasurer, J.A. Payne, to the Council regarding Registration for VAT, 1 piece, dated 8 January 1992.

  1995

  • 'Royal Asiatic Society: The 1990 Working group on Development' summarising the 1990 recommendations, 2 pieces, dated March 1995.

  1996

  • Minutes for the 'Meeting of a Sub-Committee for Computers' on 3 October 1996, 1 piece.

  1999

  • Report on the Standing Orders for Sub-Committees of Council by Francis Robinson, 6 pages, dated 29 March 1999.

  2000

  • "Gold Medals: Memorandum to Council for 8 June 2000 by Giles Tillotson, 1 page. 'For the Information of the Council - Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society: going online' by Sarah Ansari, 1 page, dated October 2000.

  2001

  • 'Paper for Council: Proposed Council day for Strategic Review' by Anthony Stockwell, 1 piece, dated 1 October 2001.

  2002

  • Papers concerned with a Strategic Review meeting held on 2 February 2002, 24 pieces. dated 24 January - 6 March 2002.
  • Minutes for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 14 March 2002, 2 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 23 May 2002, 5 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 18 July 2002, 19 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 22 August 2002, 9 pieces.
  • Minutes for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 26 September 2002, 2 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 14 November 2002, 3 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 6 December 2002, 2 pieces.

  2003

  • Report of the Council's Strategic Review Working Group, February 2003, 13 pieces.
  • Minutes for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 8 May 2003, 2 pieces.
  • 'Strategic thoughts en route to a plan' by Helen Cordell, 6 pages, dated, 10 June 2003.
  • 'Strategic Review: Summary of RAS space requirements' by Helen Cordell, 4 pieces, dated 12 November 2003.
  • 'Strategic Review Working Group: Final Report to Council December 2003, 5 pieces.

  2012

  • 'Achievements and Performance' - a report of the Society's activities for 2011-2012, 5 pages.

Copy of a photograph showing the Dilettante Society at the Thatched House Club. This photo shows the room in which the Society held its first meeting.

Members of Council and Sub-Committees were asked to sign their attendance at the meetings. These five hardback notebooks contain these signatures. They cover the time periods: 9 June 1925 - 13 February 1936, 12 March 1936 - 3 October 1974, 10 October 1974 - 14 December 1995, 11 January 1996 - 25 May 2006, and 15 June 2006 - 12 June 2014

Between 1930 and 1955 copies of letters of condolence, sent by the Royal Asiatic Society, were kept along with letters informing of the death, those thanking for the condolences and some newspaper cuttings of obituaries. A handwritten list of the people honoured in this way is at the beginning of the file. The people are (retained in the order of the list):

• King Tribhuvana of Nepal, 1955
• Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan Prime Minister, 1951
• Jean Bouchot, L'Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient, 1932
• Mahamadopadhaya Haraprasad Shastri, Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1931
• Sir Arthur Cowley, 1931
• Right Reverend Bishop Trollope, 1930
• Baron Gerard de Maydell, 1931
• E.E.P. Rose, 1931
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Richard Carnac Temple, 1931
• Professor T. Noldeke, 1931
• Arthur Anthony Macdonnell, 1931
• Professor F.W.K. Muller, 1930
• Dr von Le Coq, 1930
• Professor Eduard Sachau, 1930
• Dr H.R. Hall, Keeper of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities, British Museum, 1930
• Archibald Henry Sayce, 1933
• Dr Hosea Ballou Morse, 1934
• Dr T.G. Pinches, 1934
• Alexander Hayman Wilson, 1934
• Henry Cousens, 1934
• Sir Ernest Wallis Budge, 1934
• Dr Kai Donner, 1934
• Professor William Edward Soothill, 1935
• Professor Jarl Charpentier, 1935
• Professor Louis Finot, 1935
• Robert Paget Dewhurst, 1935
• His Majesty King Faud of Egypt, 1936
• Professor Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, 1936
• Dr Moriz Winternitz, 1937
• Sir James Stewart-Lockhart, 1937
• Letter of acknowledgment of condolence from B. Cox, 1937
• Professor S.H. Langdon, 1937
• Professor E.J. Rapson, 1937
• H.H. the Maharajdhiraja Babadur Sri Bhupindar Singh, 1938
• Dr Hermann Jacobi, 1937
• William Harrison Moreland, 1938
• Lord Chalmers, 1938
• Professor Carlo Alfonso Nallino, 1938
• Dr Stuart Wolfenden, 1939
• H.H. the Maharaja sir Sayaji Rao Gaekwar Bahadur, 1939
• Dr Moses Gaster, 1939
• Professor Margoliouth, 1940
• Sir Michael O'Dwyer, 1940
• H.H. Maharaja of Mysore, 1940
• Lady Ross of Ankara, 1940

Examples of headed notepaper and pro forma letters from the Society's time at Grosvenor Street (1920-1947) - 21 pieces - and Queen Anne Street (1947-1988) - 11 pieces.

Printed, stamped, embossed and a wax imprint of examples of some of the emblems used by the Society through its history.