April-May, 1902

The collection consists of 16 folders of material, primarily typewritten correspondence (some carbon copies), relating to the planning, organization and progress of the Expedition to China. The majority of the letters are between Laufer and Franz Boas (a famed anthropologist who had formerly worked at AMNH and at the time was running the anthropology PhD. program at Columbia University), with Laufer supplying regular reports on his work to Boas, who disseminated and coordinated the information among others: particularly Morris K. Jesup, the chairman of the Committee on Collections from Eastern Asia; and Jacob H. Schiff, who financed the expedition. Laufer and Boas also discussed the interpretation and presentation of the artifacts in Laufer's collections, with Boas providing editorial and critical comments for the proposed publication of the results. Anthropologist Clark Wissler is among the other correspondents.