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GB 891 SC61 · Fonds · 1424

A copy of the foundation epigraph from the Jama Masjid, Ahmedabad. This is written in black ink on paper which has been mounted onto cloth. The epigraph translates as: 'This lofty edifice and extensive mosque was built by the slave who trusts and returns and has recourse to the mercy of God who is kind, who alone is to be worshipped according to the Qur'an verse: "Verily, the Mosques belong to God; worship no one else with Him" - by the slave who trusts in the helping God, Nasiruddunya waddin Abul Fath Ahmad Shah, son of Muhammad Shah, son of Muzaffar, the king. The date of its erection from the flight of the Prophet (God's blessings on him) is the first day of Safar (may the month end successfully and Victoriously) of the year 827 [4 January 1424]. (This translation was undertaken by H. Blochmann in his article 'Eight Arabic and Persian Inscriptions', Indian Antiquary 1875, pp. 289-293.)

Blochmann Henry Ferdinand
GB 891 SC63 · Fonds · 1400-1499

A plate of part of the 'Akshobhya in his Abhirati Heaven', the 15th century image from Western Tibet (Guge) which is found in the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This plate shows only the bottom left corner of the image. Pencilled on its surround is '165e'.

Nasli Heeramaneck
GB 891 SC3-SC3/1 · Series · 1630 - 1673
Part of Extracts from the Records of Bombay and Surat

"Extracts from records Bombay + Surat". A small lined notebook with handmade cream cover in which has been written:

  • "Original in Surat Factory Outward Letter Book No.1A of 1630 -1673", page 2 - a Letter to Mr Richard Craddock in Persia from Geo. Orinder, John Goodier, Henry Gary and Ger. Hungier, dated 22 January 1663/64.
  • Same book, page 44, to Mr Robert Master and Mr Phil. Gyffard from Geo. Orinder, John Goodier, Henry Gary and Ger. Hungier. In the letter is a note from the copyist to state that he has omitted a page of the letter. Dated 10 February 1663/64
  • Same book, to Bart. Worpll. The letter finishes with a copyist's note to state that 10 paragraphs dealing with the purchase of horse and repairs of ships were omitted.
  • Same book, to Fort St. George from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated 20 January 1671.
  • Same book, to Bantam with copyist note regarding end of letter, dated 5 February 1671.
  • Same book, to Mr Tomas Rold, Gombroone, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated 5 February 1672.

These letters are primarily concerned with trade and defensive matters. It should be noted that several of the pages have come loose from the notebook.

GB 891 SC3 · Fonds · 1630 - 1676

Three notebooks into which have been copied extracts from the letter books for 1630-1673 and 1675-1676 from the Surat factory.

Untitled
GB 891 SC3-SC3/2 · Series · 1630 - 1676
Part of Extracts from the Records of Bombay and Surat

Extracts Bombay records (Surat factory). A small lined notebook with missing cover in which has been written:

  • "Original in Surat Factory Outward Letter Book No.1A of 1630 @1673", p.243, to Mr Thomas Rolt, Gomborne, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated 14 March 1672.
  • Same book, p.244, to Mr John Petit, Callecut, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated 6 April 1672.
  • Same book, p.247, to Mr Cesar Chamberlain, [Carwarr], from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated April.
  • Same book, p.250, to Bantam from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated 12 April 1672.
  • Same book, p.263, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Charles James, dated 17 May 1672.
  • Original in Surat Factory Outward Letter Book No.2 of 1675 @1676", p.2, to Bombay, from Gerald Hungier and Charles James, dated 6 December 1675.
  • Same book, p.3, to Swally, from Gerald Hungier and Charles James, dated 6 December 1875.
  • Same book, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray, Charles Lamb and Caesar Chamberlain, dated 6 December 1675. There is a copyist's note to state "This letter is eaten by white ants & I have to guess most of the words". * Same book, p.5, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray, Charles Lamb and Caesar Chamberlain, dated 6 December 1675. Same book, p.7, to Swally, with copyist note to say much of the letter is unreadable.
  • Same book, p.8, to Bombay, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray, Charles Lamb and Caesar Chamberlain, dated 9 December 1675.
  • Same book, p.9, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Caesar Chamberlain, dated 11 December 1675. with copyist note to state that the letter is decaying.
  • Same book, p.20, to Mr John Child, Rajapore, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray, Charles Lamb and Caesar Chamberlain, dated 5 January 1675.
  • Same book, p.21, to Bombay, from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray and Caesar Chamberlain, dated January 1675/76.
  • Same book, p.23. to Bombay from Gerald Hungier, Matthew Gray, Charles Lamb and Caesar Chamberlain, dated 15 January 1675/76.

These letters are primarily concerned with trade and defensive matters. It should be noted that several of the pages have come loose from the notebook.

Extracts from Bombay Records
GB 891 SC3-SC3/3 · Series · 1675 - 1676
Part of Extracts from the Records of Bombay and Surat

"Extracts from Bombay Records" - a small lined notebook with blue cover, made by "Shamsher Exercise Books, S.P. Press Bombay 3", in which is an incomplete copy of a letter from "Original in Surat Factory Outward Letter Book No.2 of 1675 @1676, p.23". The letter is primarily concerned with trade and defensive matters. The cover is marked with a "I", so presumably it is one of two or several which are now missing.

GB 891 SC72 · Fonds · 1696

Two copies of Imperially Commissioned Illustrations of Tilling and Weaving (Yuzhi gengzhi tu 御製耕織圖), a book illustrating the processes of rice growing and silk production which was first printed in 1696 by order of the Qing emperor Kangxi. The two copies are both woodblock-printed, but are different editions.

Copy 1

This copy is in a concertina format. It includes a preface, followed by a section on rice and the other on silk. Each section contains woodcut prints facing each other, each containing an inscription in it and accompanied by poetry composed by Kangxi in the upper margin, with seals in black. There are 44 prints in total, including 23 from the rice section and 21 from the silk section.

This copy has disintegrated into several parts and no covers are present. The opening page of the preface is missing, and two prints from the silk section (for steps of ‘warming the screens’ 炙箔 and ‘demounting’ 下簇) appear to be also missing. Page size measures 37cm high and 28cm wide.

Copy 2

This copy is in traditional Chinese thread binding. It includes a complete preface and one section on rice and the other on silk. Each woodcut print also contains an inscription and is followed by poetry on the verso. For each print the poetry composed by Kangxi is followed by additional poetry, including that composed by the Emperors Yungzheng and Qianlong, the latter in honour of the original poetry composed by Kangxi. This suggests that this copy is a later edition and is datable to the reign of the Emperor Qianlong (1735–1796). There are no seals accompanying the prints. There are 46 prints in total, including 23 from each section.

Annotation in pencil on the cover reads: ‘Pictorial Representation of Rice-growing + Silk [?] with preface by Kiang Hei, dated 1696’. A label on the cover bears the reference number ‘RAS 50’. Annotation in ink on the bottom edge reads: ‘御製耕織圖’. Page size measures 28.5cm high and 29.5cm wide.

Stored together with this copy is a photocopy of an article on the book, possibly taken from an auction catalogue (reference number 14921), made in October 2002.

Jiao Bingzhen
Papers of P. E. Roberts
GB 891 PER · Fonds · 1702 - 1753

The Papers of P.E. Roberts consists of lists extracted from the India Office Letter Books for 1702 to 1753. These handwritten lists detail, for each year, all the East India Company ships sent out from Britain, their tonnage, the destination of each and the value of the cargo.

With the lists are two typed letters from Roberts to William Harrison Moreland, sent from Worcester College, Oxford. The first, dated 12 January 1924, explains that Roberts had been looking through old papers and had come across the lists which he had made about 23 years ago. Feeling he would not use them, he was about to dispose of them when he thought Moreland might find them helpful. He therefore asks if Moreland would like them. Roberts also comments on his admiration for Moreland's books on Indian Economic History.

In the second letter, dated 15 January 1924, Roberts thanks Moreland for his letter and writes to send him the extracts. Roberts recalls that he was working for Sir William Hunter at that time he made the lists and, that subsequently, he found the lists were accurate according to Hardy's Shipping Register.

P. E. Roberts
GB 891 SC29-SC29/1-SC29/1/9 · File · [1767 - 1769]
Part of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Documents of Maratha History

"Original paper in the handwriting of Nana Furnevees (Fadnavis) and Rughoba Dada (Raghunath Rao)" In the label created by Simon Digby he suggests this may be either the instrument of treaty between the two parties dated 25 September 1767, or that of 6 August 1768. Paper in Marathi with title in English in a different hand.

Raghunath Rao