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This archive consists of registers, lists and correspondence concerned with the acquisitions and accessions of the Collections of the Society. The Society has not kept comprehensive records throughout its history. Further information pertaining to the Acquisitions of the Society can be found in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and in the Minute books for the Council and General Meetings. Accessions 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 Royal Asiatic Society is governed by a Council who attend regular meetings to discuss the Governance of the Society. These Papers are the signed minutes for these meetings.

Five handwritten leather bound volumes - four contain Reports on the Finances of Bengal and the fifth contains English notes/translation of the Shahnamah of Firdausi. Each bears the names A. Hamilton and G. Haughton; the four Finance books also bear the inscription "Presented to the Royal Asiatic Society by Sir Graves Haughton, 1 April 1837."

These Papers consist of a single document - a handwritten manuscript with label, 'Notes on China and the Chinese'. This label also reads 'Read 7th April 1847. This is inaccurate - the General Meeting Minutes of the Society record that Sir George Staunton read the paper from the Reverend George Smith at the meeting of the 17th April 1847. The manuscript relates details of geography, politics, education, religion and culture. The manuscript is dated London, April 7th 1847 in the same hand as the creator and 'Read 17 April 1847' in a different hand.

The Papers of Hartwig Hirschfeld consists of the handwritten manuscript draft for his New Researches into the Composition and Exegesis of the Koran along with some supplementary notes in English and Arabic. The manuscript bears the stamp of the Bombay's Education Society's Press, Bycella, and is dated "Received 7 Mar 1902". The book was published by the Royal Asiatic Society, as Volume III of their Asiatic Monograph Series, in 1902.

With the manuscript draft and notes is a letter from Raphael Loewe to Mrs M. Davis, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to thank her for agreeing to take the manuscript. He is working through Hirschfeld's papers (his great-uncle) and also enquires whether the Society would be interested in transcripts of Arabic manuscripts. This letter is typed and dated 17 May 1962.

A manuscript containing a 'Translation of Dr Hahn's Damara-German Dictionary Presented to his Excellency Sir Bartle Frere... by the Translator Major Erskine... 19th January 1880'. Karl Hugo Hahn was a Baltic German missionary and linguist who worked in South Africa and South-West Africa for most of his life. This translation was undertaken whilst Erskine was Resident Magistrate in Walvis Bay, Damaraland (Namibia). Damara is one of the Khoisan languages of Southern Africa.

The manuscript is handwritten with many alterations. It is bound in a card and leather cover which shows considerable wear. One section of the manuscript has become detached from the spine.

This is a small collection consisting of 5 items:

• Ars Asiatica, 1931, vol. XVI, Les Collections Khmeres du Musee Albert Sarraut a Phnom-Penh, Par George Groslier. Inside front cover bears inscription "Richard Hare, Dorich House, Kingston Vale, SW15".
• A sheet of paper marked "Slides, Ars Asiatica" with plate details in the same hand.
• A receipt from Lloyds Bank to Hon. Mrs. D.G. Hare.
• A loose plate with photograph of Buddha from Pangkalan, Ipoh, Perak".
• A black & white photograph inscribed on verso with "Malay Head, Dora Gordine, Town Hall, Singapore".

A collection of papers written by, or relating to, Emil Forchhamer which have been bound into a single volume entitled Papers on subjects relating to the Archaeology of Burma: Forchhammer. These papers are:

• Letter from H.R.H. Coxe, Under Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, Burma, to The Secretary to the Government of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department, concerning the work undertaken by Forchhammer as Government Archaeologist from 1883 to 1889. it plots out Forchhammer's work in collecting Talaing and Pali manuscripts for the Bernard Free Library, and his investigations in the Arakan region. The letter requests that Forchhammer is relieved from his professorial duties in order that he may survey the Pagan region. Dated 15 July 1889. Printed material with handwritten annotations concerning its arrival at the India Office, 11 March 1891 and also bearing an India Office stamp for 31 March 1891.
• Notes on the Early History and Geography of British Burma. I: The Shwe Dagon Pagoda by Em. Forchhammer. Printed pamphlet from Rangoon Government Press, 1883 concerning the pagoda.
• Sections from the 1889 Revenue and Agricultural Department Report from the Chief Commissioner of Burma. The sections are on Pali literature and Archaeology and are written by Forchhammer. This is also in support of Forchhammer's release from professorial duties in favour of archaeological investigation. Dated 18 June 1889.
• Resolution on the Transfer of the Management of the Rangoon College and High School to the Education Syndicate. This is an extract from the Proceedings of the Chief Commissioner of Burma, dated 10 August 1886, in which it sets out the requirements for the transfer to take place. This includes Dr Forchhammer's transfer as one of the members of teaching staff. Printed material with printed signature of E.S. Symes, Secretary.
• Report from the Officiating Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Burma to the Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department, to supply a report on the work done by Dr Forchhammer in connection with ancient manuscripts since 1892. Dated 2 September 1889.
• Extract from letter No. 209-89A, dated 10th August 1889, from the Government Archaeologist in which Forchhammer reports on the 670 palm-leaf manuscripts he has collected and copied which are deposited in the Manuscript Department of the Bernard Free Library.
• Letter No. 598-1A, dated Rangoon, 22nd April 1890, from H.R.H. Coxe, Under-Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, Burma, to the Secretary to the Government of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department in which he reports on the written work completed by Forchhammer on the regions of Arakan and Pagan, and of the work still required. The letter requests that Forchhammer be allowed to return to Europe to complete his work due to the poor state of his health.
• Arakan I. - Mahamuni Pagoda. Printed version of Forchhammer's work on the Pagoda, including photographic plates. It is annotated to state his authorship and that it was received as an enclosure of a letter from the Chief Governor of Burma No. 596/1a, dated 22 April 1890.
• Arakan II. - Mrohaung - the second chapter of Forchhammer's work on Arakan again with photographic plates, a map, and with annotation that it was received as an enclosure in the same letter from the Chief Governor.
• Arakan III. - Launggyet, Minbya, Urittaung, Akyab, and Sandoway - the third chapter of Forchhammer's work on Arakan with plates and annotation concerning its enclosure within the letter from the Chief Governor.
• Pagan I. - The Kyaukku Temple - the first chapter of Forchhammer's uncompleted work on Pagan with photographic plates and annotations concerning its enclosure within the same letter and ascribing authorship to Forchhammer.

There is one item in these Papers. This is a "List of books printed in Egypt, to the commencement of the year of the Flight 1251 - with their prices. Copied (without correction of any trifling errors) from a register lent to me by the principal agent for the sale of these books. E.W.L". Handwritten, 4 sides. The introductory note bearing the title and an ending note about monetary equivalent in Sterling are in English. The list in Arabic.

These Papers contain a single item entitled: "A Translation of the Standard inscription, and of the great slab, or Altar, found in the ruins of Nimrud by Captain Ormsby, Indian Navy". The translation is contained with a soft-cover notebook which gives details of the inscriptions. The notebook has a marbled cover which has come loose from the pages.