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Collections information and engagement connected to our Manuscripts collections.

Correspondence, articles, engagement with and research information about the Manuscript collections:

• Letter concerning the identification of Tamil, Singhalese and other manuscripts and Copper plate inscriptions. The author of the letter had been involved in creating handlists after L.D. Barnett and others had completed much of the identification. The letter explains the process and some of what was discovered but the signature is unreadable. Handwritten, 3 pieces, undated [1950s].
• Correspondence between Charles Bawden, School of Oriental and African Studies, and Miss Jill Davies, Assistant Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society concerning the Tibetan manuscripts donated to the Society by Robert Yuille. The letters give provenance of their arrival at the Society and identification of what they are. Typed, 11 pieces, dated 7 March 1977 - 18 April 1978.
• Context information for the Society's manuscript of the Dictionnaire Tartare-Mantchou François by Father Joseph Amyot. Typed, 2 pieces, undated.
• Context information for some of the Society's Chinese manuscripts. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 28 July 1977.
• 'Bustan as-salatin' - information concerning this document in printed and manuscript forms. These include Raffles Malay 8 and Raffles Malay 42. Typed in Indonesian and English, 2 pieces, undated.
• 'A Qur'an from the East African Coast' by Simon Digby, Honorary Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society - a copy of an article from Art and Archaeology Research papers, June 1975, giving details of a Qur'an (RAS Arabic 12a) presented to the Society by F.F. Arbuthnot c.1900. Photocopy, 8 pieces, dated June 1975.
• 'Paper and Gold: Illuminated Manuscripts from the Indonesian Archipelago - An exhibition in The British Library, 11 July to 27 October 1990' - pamphlet produced in connexion with the exhibition to explain about Malay and Javanese manuscripts. The Society lent some manuscripts for the exhibition. Printed pamphlet, dated 1990.
• Correspondence and articles by Jacqueline Filliozat concerning the Society's Pali manuscripts. The articles are entitled, 'Survey of the Pali manuscript collection in the Royal Asiatic Society, December 1993', 'Survey of the Pali manuscript collection in the Royal Asiatic Society, December 1993- July 1994', `Projet d'exposition ou de présentation des plus beaux mss. en Pali de la RAS', 'Trois nouveaux fragments manuscrits du Dasavatthuppakarana, Trois recensions indochinoises échelonnées sur Trois siècles (1648-1948 A.D.)' and 'Transcriptions des fragments concernant le Dasavatthu d'après les manuscrits FEMC PALI A 20, RAS BURMESE 64, SA. KHMER 16 & 18 avec les concordances à notre précédente édition: J. Ver Eecke, Le Dasavatthuppakarana, PEFEO CVIII, Paris 1976'. Three handwritten letters in French, dated 3 January 1994 - 15 February 1995. Computer printed manuscripts, 98 pieces.
• Correspondence between Dr J.D. Smith, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Cambridge, J. Clifford Wright, School of Oriental and African Studies, Paul Dundas, Department of Sanskrit, University of Edinburgh, and information concerning some of the Society's Sanskrit manuscripts. Typed, 5 pieces, dated 9 December 1996 - 21 March 1997.
• Letter from Toshihito Kimura, Professor of International Buddhist University, Kyoto, Japan, to the President of the Royal Asiatic Society to thank the Society for use of Sanskrit Manuscript 61 and to send his article, 'The Sanskrit Manuscript of Sitatapatra-Dharani in the Royal Asiatic Society'. The articles is with the letter. Typed, 10 pieces, dated 29 January 2001.
• Letter from Michael Pollock, Royal Asiatic Society Librarian, to Colleen Schafroth, Director, Maryhill Museum of Art, concerning the manuscript, RAS Persian 211, a Treatise on Chess. With the letter is information about the manuscript. Four pieces, typed and copied, dated 20 May 2001.
• 'The Jaipur-Related Documents deposited with the Royal Asiatic Society by Dr Michael Willis' by Rima Hooja - list and description of Jaipur manuscripts. Typed, 5 pieces, dated 16 - 18 June 2003.
• Descriptions of the manuscripts Raffles Java 17 and Raffles Java 18 in the Society's collections. Typed in French, 4 pieces, dated November 2008.
• 'Report on the Turkish manuscript collection in the Royal Asaitic Society' by Dr Evrim Binbas, Royal Holloway University of London. Typed description of these manuscripts, 5 pieces, prepared for the Library Committee Meeting, 30 September 2010.
• Copies of emails between Kathy Lazenbatt, Royal Asiatic Society Librarian, and Dr Edeltraud Harzer, Department of Asian Studies, University of Texas, concerning identification of Sanskrit manuscripts. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 8 April 2011.
• Publicity Material concerned with the 'Tales of the Malay World' Exhibition held at the National Library Building from 18 August 2017 - 25 February 2018 in which manuscripts from the Royal Asiatic Society were shown. These are a programme of events, exhibition guides in English and Malay - all printed pamphlets; a copy of Muse SG, No.36, Vol.10, Iss.0; with the article 'Tales of the Malay World' about the exhibition; and a copy of biblioasia, Jan-March 2018, with the article, 'Manuscripts from our Global Past' about the exhibition.
• Copy of email from Peter Carey to Annabel Gallop concerning Javanese names, typed, 1 piece, dated 22 July 2022.
• Letter from Devashan Kunasingham to Nancy Charley, Royal Asiatic Society Archivist, concerning the name and description of RAS Tamil MS. 14. Typed, 1 piece, dated 21 March 2024.

At various times the Society has commissioned surveys of its collections or sought funding to do so in order to assess the care needed for them. The material in this series consists of these surveys and some allied correspondence.

Nicholas Pickwoad
In 1988, Nicholas Pickwoad, Bookbinder and Conservator, Adviser to the National Trust on Book Conservation, was commissioned by the Society to survey the Library.

• 'Conservation Report on the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society, Nicholas Pickwoad, 25 May 1988. Typed report detailing the current conditions of the library and making suggestions for improvements, 29 pieces.
• Letter from Jane McAusland, Conservator and Restorer of Art on Paper, to Godfrey Goodwin, Royal Asiatic Society, to give Nicholas Pickwoad's contact details and that of another book conservator. Typed, 1 piece, dated 4 December 1987.
• Correspondence from Nicholas Pickwoad to Godfrey Goodwin concerning undertaking the survey and providing the report. Typed, 6 letters, 7 pieces, dated 4 February 1988 - 13 July 1988.
• 'First draft of the Preliminary Report addressed to the Getty Foundation, L.A.' - a draft report seeking funding for care of the collections, produced after the Pickwoad survey. Typed, and copy of handwritten, 7 pieces.

Behar Profex Ltd.
Behar Profex Ltd. is a London-based specialist antique rug and carpet repair and conservation company. In 1996, they were commissioned to report on the state of the Society's Bidjar and Kashan Rugs and an embroidered wall-hanging.

• Report from Behar Profex Ltd. detailing conservation need and estimated costs. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 30 October 1996.

Jacqueline Filliozat
In 1997, Jacqueline Filliozat undertook a survey of the Society's Pali manuscripts both identifying them and examining their condition.

• 'Survey of the Pali manuscript Collection in the Royal Asiatic Society', detailed typed report, 33 pieces, dated 12 August 1997.
• Letter from Jacqueline Filliozat to the Royal Asiatic Society to send her report. Handwritten in French, 2 pieces, date 12 August 1997.

Application for Archival Funding

• 'Application for a grant for the sorting and minimum conservation of the Rawlinson and Hodgson papers. In addition, there is a separate application for the part funding of conservation work on six Islamic manuscripts which are urgently in need of attention.' - typed report to unknown funding body, 2 pieces, undated [1990s].

RAS Manuscript Survey
A survey of some of the RAS manuscripts was undertaken at some point. Unfortunately the report is undated with no named contributors. A 57 page report was produced divided into the following sections:

• Defining the Levels of Condition for the Manuscripts
• Explanation of the Database Terminology
• Analysis of the findings of the Condition Report on the Persian Manuscripts
• Analysis of the findings of the Condition Report on the Arabic Manuscripts
• Analysis of the findings of the Condition Report on the Turkish Manuscripts
• RAS Manuscript Survey - detailing the condition of each individual manuscript.

Photographic Collections
In 2002 Jane McAusland, Conservator, carried out a survey on the Society's photographs. The material associated with this is:

• 'The Collection of 19th Century Photographs in the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society... A Proposed Strategy to Conserve the Collection', typed report of her findings and suggestions for care, 8 pieces, dated February 2002.
• Letter from Jane McAusland to Helen Cordell, Royal Asiatic Society, to send the report and her invoice. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 10 February 2002.
• There is also a later letter from Alison Ohta, Director, Royal Asiatic Society, to Ms O'Connell, concerning seeking funding for the digitisation of the photograph collection. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 25 February 2011.

Coin Collections
A report concerning the state of the RAS coin collections including recommendation for specialist cleaning. Typed report, 3 pieces, dated 14 August 2002.

Preservation Audit Reports
In 2004, after taking advice from Caroline Bendix, conservator, the Society applied to Archives, Libraries and Museums, London (ALM), for a grant to undertake a preservation audit. This was successful and the audit was carried out. The material associated with this audit is:

• 'Notes on the meeting with book conservation expert Caroline Bendix, 5 May 2004' - typed report detailing possible ways to enhance the state of the collections, 1 piece.
• 'ALM Collections Care Funding Programme, 2004-2005, Application Form, Preservation Audit Visit and Report' - completed application form, electronic document, original content created 28 May 2004, archival document created 12 November 2004.
• Two notification letters and three sets of a Memorandum of Agreement between ALM London and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the Preservation Audit Visit and Report scheme, each for one consultant conservator. Also contains information of the consultants working for the scheme. Typed, 10 pieces, dated 2 August 2004.
• 'Preservation Audit Report on the Books and Archives at the Royal Asiatic Society, Caroline Bendix and Jonathan Rhys-Lewis, November, 2004' - detailed report on the books by Caroline Bendix and the archives by Jonathan Rhys-Lewis created following the funding received by ALM. Softcover booklet, dated November -December 2004.
• 'Royal Asiatic Society Preservation Audit Visit and Report, November 2004' undertaken by Deirdre Mulley, Conservation and Collection Care, funded by the ALM. Softcover booklet, dated November 2004.
• 'Action Plan for the RAS Collections', report created for the Library Committee 12 May 2005 after receiving the Preservation Audit Reports. Electronic document, first created 9 May 2005. Archival document created 12 November 2024.
• ALM feedback questionnaire for funding from 2003-2006. Electronic document first created in 23 February 2006. Archival document created 12 November 2024.

Royal Asiatic Society Archive Audit by Simon Fenwick
An audit and report carried out on the archival collections by Simon Fenwick, consultant archivist, detailing the archives found and the care needed. With the report is the invoice for his services. Typed, 16 pieces, dated 8 July 2007.

Computerised Cataloguing Project
Two draft applications for funding to finance a computer catalogue for the Society's collections. Funding was sought from the Mercers Company and the Foyle Foundation. The Mercer application is dated to 2009.