The Layton Collection

THE THOMAS LAYTON TRUST & LAYTON'S COLLECTION

Indian antiquities or, Dissertations relative to Hindostan

In this seminal seven volume work, Maurice, one time Assistant Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum, draws on an astonishing range of sources to spin rich and beautifully rendered dissertations on such subjects as India’s ancient geographical divisions, laws, governance, commerce, arts and architecture, as well as its ‘primeval’ theology; juxtaposing his observations alongside those of Egypt, Persia and Greece.

Thomas Maurice, 1792. Layton Collection 8201

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The Collection

Thomas Layton collected books, coins, and archaeological items (usually described as ‘antiquities’) for 70 years. In that time he had accumulated what has been described as “probably the largest collection of London antiquities ever amassed by a single individual”.

The vast majority of items are believed to have been bought at auctions. Some came to him from his men working on the river. His businesses provided opportunities for finds from dredging, building of bridges and embankments along the banks of the Thames, for which Layton paid good money. Even by the standards of the day Layton kept poor records of where items were found. Despite this, the collection is considered highly important particularly to archaeologists and pre-historians.