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This volume contains copies of, or extracts from, letters sent to the Royal Asiatic Society between 1846 and 1852. They are written into a leather-bound volume with the title 'Extracts' on its front cover. Besides the letters which cover 93 pages, there are subsequently some rough pencil notes and a diagram in a different hand (possibly a child's) followed by blank pages and an index at the end of the manuscript.

The International Congress of Orientalists, initiated in Paris in 1873, was an international conference of Orientalists. It was later renamed as the International Congress of Human Sciences in Asia and North Africa and then as the International Congress of Asian and North African Studies. This material covers the interaction of the Royal Asiatic Society with the Congress in the time period 1889 to 1993.

James Forlong bequeathed money to the Royal Asiatic Society to come to the Society upon the death of his wife. The money was to be used towards the establishment of an 'Imperial Oriental College or School' and in particular for the promotion of lectures. This fund was to be administered by the Royal Asiatic Society. With the opening of the School of Oriental Studies, London, it was necessary to negotiate with the School about the use of the Fund. These papers consist of administrative documents and correspondence concerned with both the inauguration of the Forlong Fund and its continuing application for lectures and scholarships. The administrative documents and correspondence concerning the publications undertaken can be found in the Society's publication records.

'Dictionnaire Kalmouk - Allemand: Texte' - a handwritten manuscript believed to be created by Julius Klaproth containing the Kalmyk alphabet and a dictionary of words. A note has been added on the front paper recording; 'This fragment of a Dictionary most probably came from Klaproth's library which was sold at his death - H [S] Decr. 1850'. The dictionary sections are divided under headings of page numbers, suggesting this manuscript may have been copied from a larger one. Inserted into the manuscript is a piece of yellow paper providing the information gained By Dr W. Simon about the manuscript's provenance. The front cover has a label affixed with 'Mongolian' ascribed in ink and 'Kalmuch- German Dictionary' in pencil. and the spine has a paper label stating Mongolian-German'. These appear to be additions made once in came into the Society's possession.

In caring for the collections and making them accessible to researchers various lists and catalogues have been collated throughout the Society's history. Some of these have been published but many are unpublished or in draft form prior to publication. These have been kept as important sources of both information about the nature of the collections and also how the Society has historically organised them. Please note, however, that not all the items in the catalogues and lists are still within the Society's collections.

The papers are mainly concerned with Derek Davis' interest in Russian history and, in particular, research for his translation of Pushkin’s ‘A Journey to Arzrum during the Campaign of 1829’.

Correspondence with J.E. Talbert concerned with him acting as a tutor, finding a partner, requiring a secretary and looking for accommodation. These are:

• Correspondence from R.A. Cottman, Dorchester, Dorset, concerning Talbert providing 'practical instruction'. Handwritten, 3 letters dated 14 June 1945, 21 June 1945 and undated.
• Correspondence with Phyllis A. Bamattre, Social Agent, Leicester and London, concerning the possibility of Talbert being introduced to a possible partner. The material contains 3 typed letters from Phyllis A. Bamattre to J.E. Talbert with accompanying instructional leaflets and lists of ladies on her books, and 1handwritten draft letter from Talbert to Bamattre given his choice to pursue further. 39 pieces, dated 14 June - 18 August 1945.
• Correspondence from Edith Evans, Eccleshall, Staffordshire, concerning a potential friendship. Handwritten, 2 letters, dated 30 July - 15 August 1945.
• Postcard from Gilbert Marshall, Secretary, D.M.C.A., Bournemouth asking Talbert for more details so he may be able to help. Typed, dated 24 August 1945.
• Correspondence concerning Talbert's advertisement for a Secretary: a typed letter from Constance M. Bird with enclosed reference, 2 pieces, dated 4 September 1945; and a handwritten letter from Joan Eyers, 1 piece, dated 4 September 1945.
• Correspondence concerning Talbert's need for accommodation: correspondence from C.A. Rich to offer a room and then withdraw the offer, 2 letters, handwritten, dated 12 and 18 September 1945; a letter from Lucy Horrell to provide particulars of a room, handwritten with typed particulars, dated 1 October 1945; and a letter from R. Thurston to inform they have received his application from the Bureau of Accommodation and can offer what he requires, handwritten, dated 21 October 1945. These are all located in the Bournemouth area.
• Envelope addressed to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, 56 Queen Anne Street, London, postmarked, Bournemouth, Poole, 23 August 1947. The postage paid was inadequate and there are two postage due stamps each for four old pence. On the reverse are stickers stating, 'Medical Post'.

The Royal Asiatic Society Medal was instigated in 2000 to replace the Society's Triennial Gold Medal and to be awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to scholarship in the field of Asian Studies. A new design for the Medal was sought and this was commissioned from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn. The medal took longstanding symbols of the Society and gave them a modern twist. She suggested:

'The starting point for the design of the medal was an article by John Hansman in the Society's Journal of 1984: ‘The Emblems, Medals and Medallists of The Royal Asiatic Society’. I was very inspired by the Daniells’ design of a caparisoned elephant for a signet, first produced in 1824, which was used to seal letters and documents. A simplified version of this design by Professor Perceval Yetts has become the ‘logo’ of the society, stamped on its letter head and on all its publications, and so it was a particularly appropriate image to use. I depicted the signet impressed into the brass as if it were wax, to act as a metaphor for the medal as a ‘seal of approval’. Unlike most Victorian award medals the lettering is incised, this is so that it will blend in with the name of the recipient, which obviously has to be engraved at a later date. In 1823 the Banyan tree was chosen for the society’s official seal by the Council and it has been depicted on previous medals commissioned by the society. It is a magnificent tree and an apt symbol of the society, growing strong and branching out. The medal was cast (rather than struck) which allows for more depth in modelling and I tried to take advantage of that by depicting the tree as a mature and vigorous plant, still growing strongly.' (Email, see details in the catalogue).

The medal was first awarded to John Gullick in 2001 with subsequent awards being made:
2003 – Professor Edmund Bosworth
2006 – Professor Christopher Shackle
2009 – Professor Sir Christopher Bayly
2014 – Dr Bridget Allchin and Professor David Bivar
2019 - Professors Carole and Robert Hillenbrand
2023 – Robert Irwin

The material covered by this catalogue consists of correspondence and administrative documents concerning the setting up of the award and the commissioning of the medal, and the individual awards. There are also photographs of some of the award events and a sample of the medal.

The papers consist of correspondence mainly concerned with Pankhurst's interest and research into Ethiopia, a small amount of printed material, photographs, and Abstracts and Papers from the First International Conference on the History of Ethiopian Art which was convened by Pankhurst in 1986.

From 1904-1929 the Royal Asiatic Society awarded a Gold Medal to a schoolboy writing on a chosen essay title. However, as entrants dwindled and few schools seemed interested in teaching Indian history, it was decided that the competition should be changed to one for undergraduate students. The change was finalised on 15th December 1931. Regulations for the University Prize Essay Fund were drawn up in 1932 and the first prize was awarded in 1933. In 1939, Professor Perceval Yetts designed a certificate to be presented with the prize (an example of this can be found in these papers). The prize was initially awarded annually but then became biennial. The prize money also increased at various intervals.
The records of the Universities Prize Essay cover the conversion from the Public School Medal to the Universities Prize Essay Fund, governance of the award and the conferment of the Honour in subsequent years. They include Rules, correspondence, and winning essays. However there are not records for all instances of the presentation of the award. Researchers are advised to also examine the Council Minutes and the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (both held in the RAS Collections) when researching concerning the Universities Prize Essay and its recipients.