Charles Fellows Correspondence, 1820-1879 (Bulk 1839-1852)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt6r29q504 No online items Finding aid for the Charles Fellows correspondence, 1820-1879 (bulk 1839-1852) Finding aid prepared by J. Gibbs. Finding aid for the Charles 970014 1 Fellows correspondence, 1820-1879 (bulk 1839-1852) ... Descriptive Summary Title: Charles Fellows correspondence Date (inclusive): 1820-1879 (bulk 1839-1852) Number: 970014 Creator/Collector: Fellows, Charles, Sir, 1799-1860 Physical Description: 0.5 linear feet(ca. 370 items) Repository: The Getty Research Institute Special Collections 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100 Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688 (310) 440-7390 Abstract: Collection comprises drafts and handwritten copies of letters, as well as notes and inventories written and received by the British archaeologist Sir Charles Fellows (1820-1879). The letters and inventories describe Fellows's expeditions to Lycia, in present day Turkey, and most particularly, his excavation of Xanthus. Correspondence also concerns the display of Lycian artifacts at the British Museum. Request Materials: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy . Language: Collection material is in English Biographical/Historical Note Sir Charles Fellows (1799-1860) was an English explorer and archaeologist, best known for his expeditions in Asia Minor, especially in the district of ancient Lycia (in present-day Turkey). During his first journey to this area in 1838, he discovered the ruins of the ancient town of Xanthus. The publication in 1839 of his journal of this expedition aroused great interest, particularly at the British Museum, which requested that he bring artifacts back to England on subsequent voyages. The museum helped arrange a royal decree (firman) from the Sultan to enable Fellows to take away Lycian architectural remnants and sculpture. The firman was obtained in 1842 while Fellows was on his third expedition to the area. At the end of that year he shipped 78 cases from Xanthus to the British Museum. In 1844 he extracted an additional 27 cases of artifacts. Eventually, Fellows's relationship with the British Museum Trustees changed from one of mutual support to a battle over the design of the display of Xanthian marbles. Fellows argued that the artifacts should be arranged according to archaeological principles, and bitterly criticized the display the sculptor Sir Richard Westmacott produced for the museum. Fellows published several accounts of his travels and discoveries in Lycia. In his publication, The Xanthian marbles (London: John Murray, 1843) Fellows describes his view of the incidents connected with the acquisition of the marbles, in order to correct mistaken accounts and rumors. His other publications include The Inscribed monument at Xanthus ( 1842), An Account of discoveries in Lycia ( 1841), and his first, A Journal written during an excursion in Asia Minor 1838, ( 1839). Access Open for use by qualified researchers. Publication Rights Contact Library Rights and Reproductions . Preferred Citation Charles Fellows correspondence, 1820-1879, bulk 1839-1852, Getty Reseach Institute, Research Library, Accession no. 970014 http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa970014 Acquisition Information The collection was acquired in 1997 at Christie's auction, London, Nov 27, 1996. One letter, from Fellows to Desire Raoul-Rochette dated 1843, was acquired in 1985 (Special Collections accn. no. 850423) and moved to this collection. Processing History Jocelyn Gibbs processed, arranged and cataloged the collection. She wrote this finding aid. The collection was microfilmed by the repository and a copy of the microfilm given to the British Museum. Alternate Form Finding aid for the Charles 970014 2 Fellows correspondence, 1820-1879 (bulk 1839-1852) ... Also available in the repository on microfilm. Scope and Content of Collection The Charles Fellows correspondence consists of letters, notes, inventories, and cash accounts, dating from 1820-1879, and including undated items. All are handwritten in ink or pencil. A few items are handwritten copies of letters and accounts. Correspondents include people associated with the British Museum, as well as experts and scholars, some of whom accompanied Fellows on his expeditions. Fellows's letters are primarily drafts, many to unidentified correspondents. The bulk of the material dates from 1839-1852. The few items that date after 1859 (1869-1879) appear to be addressed to Lady Fellows. One folder contains signatures torn from letters. Fellows's letters and notes, several written from Asia Minor, detail his expeditions, the attempt to get permission to ship architectural remnants and sculpture from Xanthus to London, travel arrangements, discussions with other scholars, and arrangements with his creditors. Some letters provide an exchange of information about language and wildlife, especially birds and insects, in Asia Minor. Inventories itemize the sculpture, building fragments and other objects excavated from a site (probably Xanthus), list the workers, tools and equipment. Letters to and from Fellows, dated after 1842, reflect his dispute with the Trustees of the British Museum over the display of the Xanthus marbles at the museum. He argued for an arrangement based on archaeological principles and against the exhibition design by the sculptor Sir Richard Westmacott. Lists of accounts and letters reflect cash spent on salaries and equipment during his expeditions, as well as London book sales and bookbinding costs of Fellows's several publications, most published by J. Murray. Many letters are from people associated with the British Museum, including Edward Hawkins, Keeper of Antiquities; J. Forshall, Secretary of the Trustees; and William Hamilton. Other correspondents include the photographer William Henry Fox Talbot, the architect Robert Hesketh, who accompanied Fellows to Xanthus, the Austrian orientalist Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall, the topographer William Martin Leake, and the English naturalist Edward Forbes. Arrangement note The collection is arranged in one series, organized by date, with undated items at the end. Subjects - Names Fellows, Charles, Sir, 1799-1860 Talbot, William Henry Fox, 1800-1877 Westmacott, Richard, Sir Subjects - Corporate Bodies British Museum Subjects - Topics Art--Exhibition techniques Excavations (Archaeology)--Turkey--Lycia Excavations (Archaeology)--Turkey--Xanthos (Extinct city) Sculpture, Ancient--Turkey Xanthos (Extinct city) Subjects - Places Turkey--Antiquities Genres and Forms of Material Correspondence Contributors Forshall, Josiah, 1795-1863 Hamilton, William John, 1805-1867 Hammer-Purgstall, Joseph, Freiherr von, 1774-1856 Hawkins, Edward, 1780-1867 Hesketh, Robert, architect Leake, William Martin, 1777-1860 Talbot, William Henry Fox, 1800-1877 Finding aid for the Charles 970014 3 Fellows correspondence, 1820-1879 (bulk 1839-1852) ... Series I.Correspondence, 1820-1879, undated Series I. Correspondence, 1820-1879, undated Physical Description: 0.5 linear feet1 box Scope and Content Note Correspondence, arranged chronologically. Box 1, Folder 1 1820, 1827, 1829 Box 1, Folder 1 From W. S. (?) 1820 Sep 13 Box 1, Folder 1 Envelope only, addressed to Fellows, 1827 Nov 4 Box 1, Folder 1 Envelope only, addressed to Fellows, 1827 Dec 6 Box 1, Folder 2 1830, 1831, 1833, 1838 Box 1, Folder 2 Signed affidavit regarding Rev. Chauncy, 1830 Apr 10 Box 1, Folder 2 Henry D. Gilphins (?) from Philadelphia, 1831 (?) Jul 21 Box 1, Folder 2 Envelope only, addressed to Fellows, 1831 Dec 21 Box 1, Folder 2 Written to Sig. Giuliano Cataldi, Genova, on behalf of Fellows, 1833 Jul 24 Box 1, Folder 2 Thomas Donaldson (Royal Institute of British Architects) 1838 Dec 7 Box 1, Folder 3 1839 Box 1, Folder 3 Arthur Barron, 1839 Feb 12 Box 1, Folder 3 Edward Hawkins (Keeper of Antiquities, British Museum) 1839 Apr Box 1, Folder 3 Arrowsmith (?) 1839 Apr 12 Box 1, Folder 3 From John Washington, 1839 Apr 13, undated Physical Description: 2.0 letters Box 1, Folder 3 James Yates, 1839 May 29 Box 1, Folder 3 Edward Hawkins, 1839 Nov 20 Box 1, Folder 3 Letter from Fellows to Robert Hesketh (architect) and Hesketh letter to Fellows, 1839 Dec Physical Description: 2.0 letters Box 1, Folder 3 List of places in Asia Minor, 1839 Physical Description: 6.0 page(s) Box 1, Folder 3 Letter and list of subscribers supporting Fellows's voyage, 1839-1841 Box 1, Folder 4 1840 Box 1, Folder 4 "True copy" of letter from Lord Ponsonby, 1840 Mar 7 Scope and Content Note Letter published in The Xanthian marbles, 1843, p. 2-3. Box 1, Folder 4 Monson (?) 1840 Jul 5 Box 1, Folder 4 Two letters from Fellows to ?, 1840 Sep 3-4 Box 1, Folder 4 Letters from Fellows to J. Murray (publisher) and unidentified, 1840 Oct 4, 1840 Oct 12 Physical Description: 2.0 letters Box 1, Folder 4 Samuel Birch, 1840 Oct 10 Box 1, Folder 4 H. F. Talbot, 1840 Nov 17 Box 1, Folder 4 Fellows to Robert Hesketh, 1840 Nov Physical Description: 4.0 letters Box 1, Folder 4 Daniel Sharpe, 1840 Nov 24 Box 1, Folder 4 Robert Hesketh, 1840 Dec 2 Box 1, Folder 4 Baron von Hammer, (Joseph Hammer-Purgstall) 1840 Dec 21 Box 1, Folder 5 1841 Box 1, Folder 5 David Don (Linnaean Society) 1841 Feb Physical Description: 3.0 letters Finding aid for the Charles 970014 4 Fellows correspondence, 1820-1879 (bulk 1839-1852) ... Series I.Correspondence, 1820-1879, undated Box 1, Folder 5 Daniel Sharpe, 1841 Physical Description: 3.0 letters Scope and Content Note Letters dated April, May, and