Doveshill, Ensbury Park.
Bournemouth.
July 24th. 1935.
Robert L. Hobson. Esq. C.B., B.A.
Keeper of Ethnography,
British Museum.
Dear Sir,
I have a few objects of native manufacture which my father, Alfred Russel Wallace, O.M & collected in the Malay Archipelago and on the Amazon which I should be pleased to present to the Museum if they are acceptable. They comprise—
A bird-shaped float used in turtle spearing by natives of BATANTA. Size 9½ X 10½ inches. (See Wallace’s "Malay Archipelago" 10th. Ed. p. 376.
A carved wooden tool for beating clay from Dorey, New Guinea, 13" long. (See p. 388 & illustration p. 389.)
Two wooden charms from Dorey, 4¾" & 6" high. (See p. 449)
Another small charm from Dorey in hard wood, 8" long.
A wooden spoon with carved handle with anthropomorphic terminal. 10¾" long.
A larger wooden figure 13" high similar to the charms but a portion of the ornament missing.
The waist-band of a Ceramese woman ornamented with plaited grass(?)
[2] A native comb from the Amazon, (See illustration on P1.VI of Wallace’s "Travels on the Amazon" (P1. XIV in the Minerva Library Ed.) The small feathers are missing.
A polished stone axe from the Upper Amazon.
This axe is of a form which did not appear to be represented in the case of S. American objects when I last visited the Museum.
Yours faithfully | W. G. Wallace [signature]
[illustration of an axe appears below the signature]
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP4196.4218)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
[1]1
Dept Ethnography BM.
I have a few objects of native manufacture which my father Alfred R. W. collected on the Malay Archipelago & from the Amazon & which I should be glad to present to the BM. if they are acceptible [sic]. They comprise
Th A birdshaped float used in turtle spearing by the natives of Batanta Is. see p. 376 The M. A. 10th Ed. Size 9½ x 10½ (repaired)
A carved wooden tool for beating clay from Dorey, N. G. See p. 388 & illusn on p 389 ibid (13" long)
Two wooden charms from Dorey, see illn p 449 (4¾ x 6"[)]
Another small charm in hard wood Dorey. (8")
A wooden spoon carved with anthropomorphic terminal to handle (10¾)
A larger figure 13" high — slightly defective
A small [s]poon or scoop — carved, probably fm Dorey
The waistband of a ceramese woman — somewhat worn
[2] A polished stone axe fm the Upper Amazon
A native comb fm Amazon — see illn on plate VI of Wallace’s Travels in the Amazon (or plate XIV Minerva Library Ed.) except that the small feathers at ends are missing.
Status: Draft transcription [Author’s draft (WCP4196.8355)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP4196,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on