Find something on display: Central Asia, China and Russia

Described by Lansdell as from ‘Chambar’, a place in Afghanistan. The colourful embroidery is typical of Afghan work. Lansdell bought them at a bazaar in Tashkent, a Russian trading city north of the Afghan border. He thought they would ‘be warm and both useful, when tied at the bottoms’ during his journeys on horseback across the continent. Lansdell had his photograph taken wearing these trousers

Tagged with a green label, like most of Lansdell’s collection, describing where acquired.

Decorated with a Russian Orthodox image of priests blessing a man.

Decorated with a Russian Orthodox image of Christ with incense-burner at a deathbed.

One miniature, the other comprising two needles and thread with a storage tube and weight.

One miniature, the other comprising two needles and thread with a
storage tube and weight.

Presented to Lansdell by a Chinese dignitary, possibly the Tchyan of General Chang, on 19 June 1888.

Decorated with embroidery in traditional patterns.

Many cultures have a tradition of using a fly brush or Chowrie. Chowries can have several uses dependent on the owner. Practically it can be used for keeping away flies and for cleaning. In some cultures, they are instead carried as a mark of rank or used within ceremonial dances.

There is a Russian Orthodox image inside the bowl and a rose underneath.

“The Gilyaks believe in wooden idols or charms as antidotes to disease,” wrote Lansdell. Plague had been raging across Russia in 1879. The Gilyaks lived near the border with China. At Tyr, on the rivers Amur and Amaun, Lansdell “wished to buy some of the little amulets belonging to the head of the household” of a Gilyak family, including “those of his baby, one of them a doll in a sitting posture”. But the man was unwilling to sell until offered “a silver piece”. Then he “sent after me a fish rudely cut in wood, and meant for a sturgeon [the fish famous for its roe, known as caviar], with a little god seated on his back. This had been used, apparently, not long before, on a fishing expedition.”

Container for water or wine, a gift from the Emir of Bukhara.

Container for water or wine, bought by Lansdell at a bazaar in Bukhara.

Described by Lansdell as “for slapping naughty women’s faces”. It was used in one of the prisons he visited.

The Beaney has three additional shawls, collected by Lansdell in the collection.

Lansdell visited a number of prisons on his travels across Asia.

Kazakhs live in Turkestan, southern Asia, which was annexed by Russia in 1864. Lansdell is wearing this girdle in the photograph of himself in Kokand armour and Afghan embroidered trousers.

Kazakhs live in Turkestan, southern Asia, which was annexed by Russia in 1864. Lansdell is wearing this purse in the photograph of himself in Kokand armour and Afghan embroidered trousers.

Fire-baskets were carried inside the Kashmiri Ph’aran or cloak for warmth.

Given by a young Cossak schoolmistress when Lansdell ‘fell in love with it’ and asked to buy it. Presented by Mary Landsdell in memory of her late husband, 1922, and conserved with grant-aid from the Kathy Callow Trust, 2012

According to his travel publications, Henry Lansdell purchased this Jewish Scroll of Esther from a Rabbi on his travels through Bokhara (Bukhara, Uzbekistan) in 1888

Lansdell signed this book to Mrs James Hill on 24th July 1885. He was staying in Riga, Latvia at the time probably in preparation for another journey, this time through Russian Central Asia. The donor bought the book in 2000 in a second hand bookshop in Riga.

Ritual object representing firmness of spirit – combining diamond (which cuts anything but can’t itself be cut) and thunderbolt (irresistible force).

Ganesh is the lord of success and destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. The god’s pot belly signifies the bounty of nature.

The Hindu idol of a woman was acquired by Lansdell at the same time as that of Ganesh.

“The Gilyaks believe in wooden idols or charms as antidotes to disease,” wrote Lansdell. Plague had been raging across Russia in 1879. The Gilyaks lived near the border with China. At Tyr, on the rivers Amur and Amaun, Lansdell “wished to buy some of the little amulets belonging to the head of the household” of a Gilyak family, including “those of his baby, one of them a doll in a sitting posture”. But the man was unwilling to sell until offered “a silver piece”. Then he “sent after me a fish rudely cut in wood, and meant for a sturgeon [the fish famous for its roe, known as caviar], with a little god seated on his back. This had been used, apparently, not
long before, on a fishing expedition.”
Lansdell had his photograph taken wearing Gilyak clothing and
holding the sturgeon god.

“We bought some embroidered purses of native workmanship, and cups and saucers. The saucers are of a lozenge-shape, and of metal, with an indentation fitted to receive the bottom of the cup, which has no handle. Hence, in drinking the tea, it was not necessary to finger the cup, but merely to hold the saucer and drink from the cup resting therein.” (Henry Lansdell, Through Siberia, 1882)Maimatchin was a male-only Russo Chinese trading town on the Mongolian frontier

Lansdell travelled with a letter of introduction from the Archbishop of Canterbury, hoping to gain entry to the closed city of Lhasa, Tibet. He was unable to cross from India to Tibet. Travelling to China he was again prevented from crossing: the British ambassador feared upsetting the Chinese. Lansdell had to be content with buying Tibetan items from a merchant, “Baltistan Leh”, who had visited Tibet.

Lansdell travelled with a letter of introduction from the Archbishop of Canterbury, hoping to gain entry to the closed city of Lhasa, Tibet. He was unable to cross from India to Tibet. Travelling to China he was again prevented from crossing: the British ambassador feared upsetting the Chinese. Lansdell had to be content with buying Tibetan items from a merchant, “Baltistan Leh”, who had visited Tibet.

Lansdell travelled with a letter of introduction from the Archbishop of Canterbury, hoping to gain entry to the closed city of Lhasa, Tibet.
He was unable to cross from India to Tibet. Travelling to China he was again prevented from crossing: the British ambassador feared upsetting the Chinese. Lansdell had to be content with buying Tibetan items from a merchant, “Baltistan Leh”, who had visited Tibet.

Lansdell travelled with a letter of introduction from the Archbishop of Canterbury, hoping to gain entry to the closed cityof Lhasa, Tibet. He was unable to cross from India to Tibet. Travelling to China he was again prevented from crossing: the British ambassador feared upsetting the Chinese. Lansdell had to be content with buying Tibetan items from a merchant, “Baltistan Leh”, who had visited Tibet

Lansdell travelled with a letter of introduction from the Archbishop of Canterbury, hoping to gain entry to the closed city of Lhasa, Tibet. He was unable to cross from India to Tibet. Travelling to China he was again prevented from crossing: the British ambassador feared upsetting the Chinese. Lansdell had to be content with buying Tibetan items from a merchant, “Baltistan Leh”, who had visited Tibet.

Tagged, like most of Lansdell’s collection, with labels describing where and when acquired.

An arm guard fitted with English-style box-lock flintlock pistols and a triangular-shaped ‘flick’ bayonet. This gauntlet would probably have been a back-up weapon to a sword, or pata gauntlet sword, in the warrior’s other hand. However, whether it was a combat weapon is uncertain. Pistols were occasionally combined with swords in Indian arms. But this unusual piece is more likely a novelty weapon made for European visitors.

The arm guard is displayed to show the hinged underside, which fitted snugly round the forearm.