The material within this collection comprises of correspondence and publications by and about Richard Francis Burton and his wife Isabel Burton (nee Arundell). There are also two photographs of Burton and artefacts.

Also included within this Collection are correspondence concerning the acquisition of the material by the RAS and some supplementary material regarding Oscar Eckenstein, its original collector.

An English translation of "Entwurf einer Grammatik der Herero Sprache", the work by Karl Hugo Hahn, that was supposed to be undertaken with the linguist Wilhelm Bleek. As this was not possible, due to circumstances, Hahn delivered his own version of the book to Riga in 1854. It is the first grammar of the Herero language spoken by the Herero people in Southern Africa.

The manuscript of 208 pages is heavily corrected and the translator is not identified. There is a note on a torn piece of paper which states "Presented ... Sir Bartle Frere K.G.C.B., C.S.I. by the Translator, Cape Town, January 19th 1880.

Two articles and accompanying material sent by Thomas Hervey Baber to the Royal Asiatic Society. These are:

• 'Facsimiles of three Muhammedan Gold Coins, found on the Coast of Malabar' with associated material.
• 'Copy of a Translation in the Malayalam Arayam Character with an English translation.'

'Facsimiles of three Muhammedan Gold Coins, found on the Coast of Malabar with some remarks upon them'. The three coins described were thrown up during a heavy gale on the beach at the mouth of the Balliaputtan river, five miles from Cananow on the Coast of Malabar in 1818. One of them is dated AH301 and appears to have been struck at the mint of Constantine near Cordova, the Capital of a province of the same name in Andalusia, under the reign of Abdurrahman the third. The other two are dated AH407 and bear the name of Abd ul Hussein Ali. The coins were presented to the Madras Literary Society by Thomas Hervey Baber. There are a number of papers with the facsimiles. These are:

• Letter from Thomas Hervey Baber to Mr Anderson, Acting Secretary of the Madras Literary Society, dated 25 November 1818.
• A list of the Moorish Kings of Andalusia.
• A list of Khalifs. An extract from the Arabic Dictionary entitled 'Kamood'.
• Facsimiles of the coins.
• A letter from J. Stokes containing remarks on the coins.
• Facsimiles of the coins with Malayalam translations of the inscriptions.
• A letter from Mr Anderson acknowledging receipt of the coins.

All these items and their descriptions are listed in the handwritten Catalogue of English Manuscripts in the Royal Asiatic Society. However there is also further material within the file:

• Facsimiles of the coins with English translations of the inscriptions
• A list of the names of the Princes of the Dynasty of a Fatimites
• Original label identifying their listing in the Catalogue of English Manuscripts.

Copy of a Translation in the Malayalam Arayam Character with an English translation undertaken by Thomas Hervey Baber, of an extract in the Malayalam Arabi character from a manuscript in the 'possession of Ali Raja Beebee (Bibi) of Cananoor, (Kannur,) a principality on the Malabar Coast, 10 Miles North of Tellicherry'. The manuscript was believed to trace the origin of the Bibi's family. With the introductory statement are both the English and the Malayalam translations.

Minutes from the meetings of the Oriental Fund Committee were recorded within bound volumes between 1828 and 1865. These detail the members that were present for each meeting, financial information, purchases made, books under consideration, and other activities relating to the Fund.

The volume contains the minutes of the Oriental Translation Committee relating to the activities of the Fund. They detail members present, accounts for the fund, payments made, books under consideration and any other business. It also include lists of members.

The minute book from May1832 to July 1836 for the Oriental Translation Committee. Details include the members present, accounts, books under consideration, and any other business. It also includes members lists within the minutes.

The minutes of the Oriental Translation Committee dating from September 1836 to January 1848. The minutes include the members present, balance of funds and payments made, books to be considered and any other business. The minutes also include members lists.

The minute book for the contains committee meetings of the Oriental Translation Committee from April 1846 to February 1865. These include the members present, balance of the fund, payments made, books under consideration, and any other business. Also included are member lists.