Rethinking Pitt-Rivers

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Statistics

he articles below provide some statistical background to the Pitt-Rivers collections. Note that these statistics were prepared in May-June 2010, before the prepared database had been fully proof-read. There may, therefore, be some slight under-representation or distortion of figures due to inaccurate transcription. Judging by the proof-reading that had been done by the time statistical analysis started, this factor will be very small.

I. Statistical Analysis: Key facts - an easy digest
II. Methodology

3. Division breakdown for the founding collection, including continent / country and division

4. Division breakdown for the second collection, including continent / country and division

E. CLASS BREAKDOWN OF OBJECTS

1. Overall class of object breakdown for both collections and commentary

2. Top 20 classes for each collection

3. Classes of UK provenanced objects in both collections

F. BREAKDOWN OF OBJECTS INTO SPECIFIC KEYWORDS (NAMES) OF OBJECTS

1. Overall keyword breakdown for key classes for both collections, and commentary

G. BREAKDOWN OF OBJECTS BY MATERIAL THEY ARE MADE FROM

1. Overall materials breakdown for both collections, and commentary

H. ITEMS FIELD COLLECTED BY PITT RIVERS

1. Summary of Pitt-Rivers objects in both collections field collected by him and commentary

I. INDIVIDUALS & INSTITUTIONS

1. How many individuals and institutions were associated with the objects in the Pitt-Rivers' collections?

2. Breakdown of all the individuals and institutions associated with both Pitt-Rivers' collections

3. Breakdown of individuals and institutions associated with the founding collection

4. Breakdown of individuals and institutions associated with the founding and second collections

5. Breakdown of individuals and institutions associated with Pitt-Rivers second collection

6. Where did Pitt-Rivers get his objects from? Where they based in the UK or abroad?

7. How many of the individuals and institutions were dealers or auctioneers?

J. WHERE WERE OBJECTS PLACED BY PITT-RIVERS (SECOND COLLECTION ONLY)

1. Overall location breakdown for second collection, and commentary

2. Items known to have been located at 19 Penywern Road, London

3. Items known to have been located at Grosvenor Gardens after 1880

4. Items known to have been located at Bethnal Green and / or South Kensington Museums

5. Location breakdown for items placed at Rushmore

6. Location breakdown for items placed at Farnham Museum

7. Items known to have been located at Larmer Gardens and King John's House

8. How many objects were moved from one location to another?

K. HOW MANY OBJECTS WERE DISPLAYED AT BETHNAL GREEN MUSEUM

1. How many objects in the founding collection were displayed at Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums before 1884?

L. WHEN WERE OBJECTS OBTAINED?

1. Overall breakdown of objects by decade for both collections

2. Overall breakdown of objects from second collection by year

USEFUL RESOURCES

Note that you might also wish to look at the statistics prepared about the founding collection before 2006. These show how much more information is available about the founding collection in 2010 than was known then.

Part I here, Part 2 here.

A useful glossary of terms used in these statistical pages.

A cautionary guide to double-counting.

The use of statistics to examine the Pitt Rivers Museum collections is explored in the paper (PDF version below). We are very grateful to the Chair of the Museum Ethnographers Group and the editor of JME for allowing us to republish this article on this site

Attachments:
Counting and calculating: Stats at the PRM	150 Kb