Amazonian Collection research

This report relates to research undertaken on the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery’s (RAMM’s) Amazonian collection. Tabitha Cadbury undertook the research between September 2006 and April 2007.  Designation Challenge Fund (DCF) provided the funding allowing this project to take place. Deon Whittaker undertook additional research. He examined the collection’s bows and arrows during this time.

Research objectives for the Amazonian collection:

• Digitally photograph the collection.
• Write accessible captions for each object.
• Produce a summary of the collection and collectors.
• Produce a summary of previous work on the collection.
• Assess the collection’s importance in relation to other museums.
• Research the collection’s geographical, historical and cultural background.
• Obtain books and information relating to the collection for future use at RAMM.
• Prepare a bibliography for future use at RAMM.
• Make suggestions for future work with the collection.

Citation:

Tabitha Cadbury  and Deon Whittaker, 2007

Full report:

Report brief

Collectors and collections

This section looks at each Amazon collector in turn and summarises their collection. Where RAMM also has other material from the same collector, this is mentioned. The section begins by investigating the two largest collections, those of Sir Cuthbert Edgar Peek and Monica Lima de Carvalho. It then turns t o summarising the information we have about other collectors, in alphabetical order.

Peek Collection Catalogue

De Carvalho Collection Catalogue

Catalogue of other collections

Collecting context

To understand the objects at RAMM, it is necessary to understand the cultural and historical contexts in which they were made and collected. RAMM’s collections come from widely dispersed areas of the Amazon. Most of RAMM’s collections were made in the later nineteenth century or early twentieth century, a time when colonialism was at its apex.

Bibliography