Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

C.R. Smith Archive

Letter
31/07/1901 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Charles R. Smith (born 1866) was employed by the Persian Carpet Manufacturing Company in Sultanabad, a subsidiary of J.C.P. Hotz and Son, a import-export consortium with headquarters in London, and offices in Amsterdam, Isfahan, Bushehr, Basra and Shiraz. On the direct request of Hotz and Son, Smith had made investigations in Tabriz about carpet production costs and facilities. This letter prompts Smith to submit his report.

The C.R. Smith archive consists of an album of 60 mounted albumen prints (predominantly portraits and topographical views, taken in Iran and Iraq), a further 24 loose photographs, and a series of letters and memos.

These document a correspondence between Smith and various colleagues made throughout 1901, when Smith was approached to join a new carpet enterprise in Tabriz. He duly left Sultanabad where he had been working for the Persian Carpet Manufacturing Company, but by July of the same year he had returned to his native Kidderminster in England. It is not known if the Tabriz business plan was ever realised, but J.C.P. Hotz and Son went out of business in 1903.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleC.R. Smith Archive
Materials and techniques
handwriting
Brief description
Letter from the Director of the Persian Carpet Manufacturing Company in London, to C.R. Smith in Kidderminster, dated 31 July 1301
Physical description
Letter from the Director of the Persian Carpet Manufacturing Company in London, to C.R. Smith in Kidderminster, ink on paper, dated 31 July 1301
Dimensions
  • Width: 20cm
  • Length: 25.4cm
Gallery label
Credit line
Given by Jane Podmore
Summary
Charles R. Smith (born 1866) was employed by the Persian Carpet Manufacturing Company in Sultanabad, a subsidiary of J.C.P. Hotz and Son, a import-export consortium with headquarters in London, and offices in Amsterdam, Isfahan, Bushehr, Basra and Shiraz. On the direct request of Hotz and Son, Smith had made investigations in Tabriz about carpet production costs and facilities. This letter prompts Smith to submit his report.

The C.R. Smith archive consists of an album of 60 mounted albumen prints (predominantly portraits and topographical views, taken in Iran and Iraq), a further 24 loose photographs, and a series of letters and memos.

These document a correspondence between Smith and various colleagues made throughout 1901, when Smith was approached to join a new carpet enterprise in Tabriz. He duly left Sultanabad where he had been working for the Persian Carpet Manufacturing Company, but by July of the same year he had returned to his native Kidderminster in England. It is not known if the Tabriz business plan was ever realised, but J.C.P. Hotz and Son went out of business in 1903.
Bibliographic references
  • Russell Harris and Isabel Miller, "The Sevruguin Photographs", Asian Art (February 2011) 6-7.
  • Melanie Venes and Jennifer Wearden, "A Persian Venture", Hali 148 (2006) 60-61.
Collection
Accession number
E.171-2012

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 28, 2012
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest