Burton (Richard) Pamphlet Collection, 1812-1894, bulk 1860-1890

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Summary

Title:
Sir Richard Francis Burton Pamphlet Collection
Dates:
1812-1894, bulk 1860-1890
Creators:
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890 ; Burton, Isabel, Lady, 1831-1896
Abstract:
This collection contains approximately 450 articles, offprints, pamphlets, and other works collected by the British explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) and forms part of the Sir Richard Francis Burton Library Printed Material Collection. The items cover a span of 1812 to 1894 and include material under the subjects: General; Periodicals, Congress Reports; Anthropology, Archaeology, Folklore; Biography; Geography, Travel; Linguistics; Literature; Medicine, Psychology; Religion, Philosophy; Science, Pure, Natural, Applied; Sword; Africa; Americas; Asia; Europe; Pacific, Australasia. Some of the works include manuscript annotations by Burton as well as correspondence sent to him and insertions of articles and clippings.
Extent:
432 envelopes (including 27 oversized envelopes)
Language:
Collection is mostly in English; non-English materials are indicated at the item level.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Sir Richard Francis Burton Pamphlet Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains approximately 450 articles, offprints, pamphlets and other works, covering a span of 1812 to 1894, collected by the British explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton and forming part of his library. The items are contained in 432 envelopes and cover 17 different categories of material: General; Periodicals, Congress Reports; Anthropology, Archaeology, Folklore; Biography; Geography, Travel; Linguistics; Literature; Medicine, Psychology; Religion, Philosophy; Science, Pure, Natural, Applied; Sword; Africa; Americas; Asia; Europe; Pacific, Australasia. Some of the works include manuscript annotations by Burton as well as correspondence sent to him and insertions of articles and clippings.

This is a subsection of the Sir Richard Francis Burton Library Printed Material Collection in the Rare Books Department. Those items can be searched as a whole under the heading: Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890, former owner or Burton, Isabel, Lady, 1831-1896, former owner.

Biographical / historical:

Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) was a British explorer, linguist, writer, diplomat and translator; he explored Africa, the Middle East, South America and Iceland, and translated, among many other titles, The Arabian Nights. Burton married Isabel Arundell (1831-1896), in 1861, and she, thereafter, accompanied Burton on many of his travels, and became his amanuensis and editor, as well as publishing her own travel volumes and an autobiography. Burton died of a heart attack on October 19, 1890.

Acquisition information:
Acquired from the Christenson Fund, November 1997.
Custodial history:

At the time of Isabel Burton's death in 1896, the main part of Richard Burton's surviving manuscripts and library were deposited at the Central Library, Kensington; in 1955, the Royal Borough of Kensington gave the library to the Royal Anthropological Institute for safe-keeping. In 1986, The Christensen Fund acquired the entire library from the R.A.I., and deposited it at the Huntington Library, until November 1997, when The Christensen Fund formally gave the manuscripts and 2,500 volume library to the Huntington Library.

Arrangement:

The pamphlets are organized by subject and then by main entry, as determined by the Burton Library bibliographer B.J. Kirkpatrick. See her bibliography, A catalogue of the Library of Sir Richard Burton, K.C.M.G. held by the Royal Anthropological Institute, edited by B.J. Kirkpatrick. London, 1978.

Subjects consist of:

  • General
  • Periodicals
  • Anthropology, Archaeology, Folklore
  • Biography
  • Geography, Travel
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Medicine, Psychology
  • Religion, Philosophy
  • Sciences, Pure, Natural, Applied
  • Sword
  • Africa
  • North America
  • Middle and South America, West Indies
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Pacific, Australasia

Individual envelopes are described in the container list in the following format:

  • Author. Title. Date
  • Language of Material:
  • Kirkpatrick reference: [Number assigned to item in the Kirkpatrick bibliography]
  • Description: [physical description of item]
  • Periodical title: [For offprints and articles]
  • Issue No.: [Edition and/or issue information]
  • Imprint: [City and name of publisher, if known]
  • Notes: [Additional information about the title, physical condition, additional Huntington holdings, etc.]
  • Ownership notes: [Notes on annotations, inscriptions, signatures, etc. that reflect provenance]
  • Correspondence and insertions: [Correspondence and/or additional laid-in items, such as clippings]

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Note:

Finding aid last updated on February 25, 2015.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Julie Kemper and Diann Benti.
Date Prepared:
© 2015
Date Encoded:
Machine readable finding aid encoded by Diann Benti in February 2015 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Sir Richard Francis Burton Pamphlet Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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