Catalogue
Catalogue
Object name: Catalogue
Manufactured By Henry Syer Cuming (1817 - 1902)
Date: 1817-1902
Medium: Paper, card
Object number: TN07894
DescriptionThe Cuming Manuscript Catalogue, Richard & Henry Cuming's original donor manuscript typographical catalogue c 1840. These are written on small, loose sheets of paper, probabaly originally pasted into a small note book with inserted notes on small pieces of paper included. The size of Henry Cuming's handwriting makes it difficult to use. It is extremely valuable, not only as a record of the original collection, but also for research as many of the objects are listed with details of their acquisition date and source. The descriptions of the objects are very detailed, and frequently include accurate measurements.
The sheets are inserted into plastic pouches stored in three volumes. It is apparent that not all the sheets have survived, as pages that would have listed major object groups, such as arrows and bows, do not exist. It also became clear that not all the objects in the Cuming collection were entered onto the Cuming Manuscript Catalogue, particularly where there was more than one of a similar object.
The Cumings did not number their collection and the modern pages inserted in between the plastic pouches include notes made by previous curators linking the object numbers with the descriptions on the manuscript pages.
The sheets are inserted into plastic pouches stored in three volumes. It is apparent that not all the sheets have survived, as pages that would have listed major object groups, such as arrows and bows, do not exist. It also became clear that not all the objects in the Cuming collection were entered onto the Cuming Manuscript Catalogue, particularly where there was more than one of a similar object.
The Cumings did not number their collection and the modern pages inserted in between the plastic pouches include notes made by previous curators linking the object numbers with the descriptions on the manuscript pages.