S&SWM PR papers L270

Colonial and Indian Exhibition | Royal Commission for Victoria, Australia

Victoria Court | Exhibition Buildings | South Kensington | Dec 7th 1886

Dear Sir

We have been exhibiting in this court some very fine photographs of the natives of New Guinea taken by Mr Lindt * of Melbourne wh. would be of extreme value to any one interested in Ethnology. I am informed by Mr C.H. Read of the British Museum that probably you might entertain the idea of purchasing them. The photographs are probably the only ones in existence & are remarkable not only for their size but also for the splendid way in which they have [insert] been [end insert] produced & finished. The price put upon them by Mr Lindt is £25 for the 5 photographs (framed), but should you entertain the idea & would call upon me here I should happily show you the photographs & to consider any offer that you might make.

I am
Dear Sir
Yours faithfully
James Thomson [illegible]

Gen. Pitt-Rivers F.R.S.

* J.W. Lindt of Black Spurs, Victoria see his biography here. The Australian Dictionary of Biography says 'In 1885 Lindt went with Sir Peter Scratchley's expedition to the Protectorate of British New Guinea as official photographer. He presented an album of his New Guinea photographs to the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London in 1886.'

Transcribed by AP May 2011 as part of the Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project.