Sloane’s Artificial Collections

Alongside natural artefacts, Sloane collected man-made objects, including scientific instruments, coins and medals and artefacts which we would categorise today as ethnographic items. Sloane was fascinated by natural objects which were manipulated by the hand of man, and found the reconciliation of nature and man to be of great interest. In a period of cultural exchange, made possible by advancements in travel, it is no wonder Sloane became fascinated by different cultures and their customs.
Ackermann, Silke, and Jane Wess, (2003) ‘Between antiquarianism and experiment: Hans Sloane, George III and collecting science’, in Kim, Sloan, Andrew, Burnett, Enlightenment. Discovering the World in the Eighteenth Century. The British Museum Press, London, pp.150-157.
Archibald, Marion M (1994) ‘Coins and Medals’ in Arthur MacGregor, Sir Hans Sloane. Collector, Scientist, Antiquary Founding Father of the British Museum. The British Museum Press, London, pp.150-166.
Burnett, Andrew (2003) ‘The King loves medals: the study of coins in Europe and Britain’, in Kim, Sloan, Andrew, Burnett, Enlightenment. Discovering the World in the Eighteenth Century. The British Museum Press, London, pp.122-131.
Fagg, W B., (1970) Sir Hans Sloane and ethnography. The British Museum Press, London.
King, J.C.H (1994) ‘Ethnographic Collections’ in Arthur MacGregor, Sir Hans Sloane. Collector, Scientist, Antiquary Founding Father of the British Museum. The British Museum Press, London, pp.228-244.
Rudoe, Judy (2003) ‘Engraved gems: the lost art of antiquity’ in Kim, Sloan, Andrew, Burnett, Enlightenment. Discovering the World in the Eighteenth Century. The British Museum Press, London, pp.132-139.

Sloan, Kim and Julianne Nyhan, “Enlightenment architectures: The reconstruction of Sir Hans Sloane’s cabinets of ‘Miscellanies’”, Journal of the History of Collections, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhc/fhaa034

Syson, Luke (2003) ‘The ordering of the artificial world: collecting, classification and progress’, in Kim Sloan, Andrew Burnett, Enlightenment. Discovering the World in the Eighteenth Century. The British Museum Press, London, pp.108-121.