Cutting-Vernay Expedition to Tibet of the American Museum of Natural History 1935

Exist Dates

1935

Biographical or Historical Note

Expedition. The Cutting-Vernay Expedition to Tibet collected ethnological objects for the American Museum of Natural History and botanical specimens for the Kew Gardens in England.

The expedition was co-led by Charles Suydam Cutting and Arthur Stannard Vernay, another AMNH trustee. Cutting worked many years to plan and make connections in order to gain permits to journey to the expeditions locations in Tibet. (1) This included many years of correspondence with the Dalai Lama including exchanges of various breeds of dogs including the first Lhasa Apso dogs to enter the US in 1933, which established the breed in the US. (2, 4) After many years of correspondence the trip took place in October of 1935. The expedition pointedly did not collect animal specimens out of respect of their hosts. (1) Up to this point foreigners were allowed no farther into Tibet than Shigatse. (2)

Sources

(1) C. Suydam Cutting, “In Lhasa-The Forbidden” Natural History, February 1936, Volume XXXVII.

(2) C. Suydam Cutting, The Fire Ox and Other Years, New York, Scribner’s Sons, 1940

(3) "C. Suydam Cutting, Who Made Historic Visit to Tibet, Is Dead". The New York Times. 25 August 1972. Retrieved 8 Feb 2021.

(4) "Lhasa Apso". Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed 8 Feb 2021.

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

participantIn

American Museum of Natural History
associated dates: 1928-1935
Expedition gathered ethnographic material for this institution.

participantIn

Bailey, Lieut. Col. F.M.
Lieut. Col. F.M. Bailey, the British political officer at the Tibetan frontier first allowed Cutting into Tibet during the Cutting-Vernay Expedition to Tibet of the American Museum of Natural History, even though it was thought unlikely that passage would be allowed. Cutting approached Bailey in 1928 for a proposed expedition.

participantIn

Cutting, C. Suydam (Charles Suydam), 1889-1972
associated dates: 1928-1935
Leader, co-financer of the Cutting-Vernay Expedition to Tibet of the American Museum of Natural History. Worked many years to plan and make connections in order to gain permits to journey to the expeditions locations in Tibet. Up to this point foreigners were allowed no farther into Tibet than Shigatse.

participantIn

Kew Gardens of England
The expedition gathered plant specimens for this institution.

Norpa Linga
The expedition stayed in a small house adjacent to Norpa Linga, one of the summer palaces and the regular residence of the late Dalai Lama.

Potala
A landmark palace in the city of Lhasa. The Potala, considered both a palace and monastery, was the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. At the time of the expedition no one was living there.

collaboratesWith

Re-ting Po Gya Tsap Rimpoche
Regent of Tibet

collaboratesWith

Si-lṉ Yab-shi Lang-Dn
Prime Minister of Tibet

Tashi Lumpo
A very large monastery for 3500 lamas which is about a mile from Shigatse and served as a landmark.

participantIn

Vernay, Arthur Stannard, 1877-1960
Leader, co-financer of the Cutting-Vernay Expedition to Tibet of the American Museum of Natural History.

Related Resources

creatorOf

To Lhasa and Shigatse [videorecording.]
Creator: American Museum of Natural History. Extent: 1 videocassette (73 min.) : si., b&w ; 3/4 in. Repository: AMNH Special Collections, Film Collection no. 166

creatorOf

Cutting-Vernay Expedition to Tibet, 1935, Field Photographs from Shigatse and Lhasa, Tibet
Creator: Cutting, C. Suydam (Charles Suydam), 1889-1972 Extent: 1 linear foot (2 boxes), 41 images Repository: AMNH Special Collections, PPC .C88

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