Address book owned by Howard Carter naming Tutankhamun backer Earl of Carnarvon
It was perhaps the greatest discovery of a lost treasure in history.
On November 4, 1922, Howard Carter found the resting place of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, complete with over 5,000 priceless artifacts.
But the Valley of the Kings expedition in Egypt might not have happened at all if Carter’s financier had followed through with his threat to cut off the archaeologist’s funding.
Carter’s address book, which will be sold for £5,000 later this month, reveals the address of the Earl of Carnarvon, who lived at the famous Highclere Castle, where the hit TV series Downton Abbey was filmed.
The Earl threatened to withdraw his funding when he became frustrated with Carter’s lack of progress in the search for Tutankhamen’s tomb after the First World War put an end to excavations.
Fortunately, in 1922, he agreed to give Carter the money to hunt for one last year, a decision that led to the Egyptologist’s discovery of treasures, including a solid gold chest, Tutankhamun’s mask, thrones, furniture, food and wine.
Howard Carter (right) is seen with his lender, the 5th Earl Carnarvon, in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The count threatened to withdraw his financial support for the archaeologist before he found Tutankhamun’s tomb
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in November 1922 made headlines around the world. More than 5,000 items were found inside, including a solid gold coffin, face mask, thrones, furniture, food, and wine. Pictured: A colorized image of Howard Carter examining the Pharaoh’s coffin
Carter’s book, which contains about 200 addresses of his diverse high society contacts, will go on sale later this month at London’s Rare Book Fair by rare bookseller York Modern Books.
Carter and George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon met in 1907 and the aristocrat agreed to fund his explorations.
The pair ended up working together for 17 years.
Although their first years together were successful, the First World War put a pause in their work that was not lifted until 1917.
When the searches resumed, Carter came nowhere close to finding anything despite intensive excavations, prompting the Earl to consider withdrawing his funding.
But after Carter found the grave, the Earl was there to pose triumphantly outside with his expert and his daughter Evelyn.
Evelyn’s address is also in Carter’s book.
She claimed to have rejected Carter’s romantic advances, later telling her daughter that “I was in awe of him at first, rather afraid of him later.”
Carter’s address book, which will be sold for £5,000 later this month, reveals the address of the Earl of Carnarvon, who lived at the famous Highclere Castle, where the hit TV series Downton Abbey was filmed
Carter’s book, which contains about 200 addresses of his diverse high-society contacts, will go on sale later this month at London’s Rare Book Fair by rare bookseller York Modern Books
Carter initially viewed Tutankhamun’s tomb through a small hole in masonry after two days of digging through a rubble-filled passageway.
He held up a candle, looked inside, and famously answered Carnarvon’s impatient question, “Can you see anything?”
“Yes,” he said. “Wonderful things.”
The tomb – which included four chambers – was filled with royal treasures, including a dagger made from meteorite. They had lain untouched for over 3,000 years.
The tomb also contained three coffins nestled inside each other, the innermost of which contained the Boy King’s body.
Shortly after it was discovered, both the inner and middle coffins were transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, while the outer gilded coffin was left behind.
Tragically, the Earl died in April 1923 after being bitten by a mosquito and developing sepsis.
His death led to headlines proclaiming ‘Tutankhamun’s curse’.
Fifty years after Carter’s discovery, many of the treasures in Tutankhamun’s tomb were displayed in a now-famous exhibition at the British Museum in London.
Howard Carter watches as the gilded roof of one of the shrines in Tutankhamun’s tomb is erected by workers
view of the north wall of the tomb Antechamber with life-sized statues of Tutankhamen, apparently guarding the sealed doorway leading to the pharaoh’s burial chamber
Howard Carter examines Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus in his tomb, which was more than 20 feet underground
The seal on the doors of the second sanctuary of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. The seal was found intact
Carter (right) is seen with the Earl of Carnarvon and his daughter Evelyn at the entrance to Tutankhamun’s tomb
The exhibition, which was opened by the Queen, was originally supposed to run for three months, but was eventually opened for six months due to its huge popularity.
Approximately 4,400 visitors on the first day, with over 30,000 in the first week.
On the first day, hundreds of people queued for more than 14 hours to enter the museum.
On the last day of the exhibition, in September, thousands more frantically tried to catch a last glimpse of Tutankhamun’s treasures – but an employee with a megaphone had to tell them, “I’m very sorry, it’s the last day, so they are I’m going to put him to sleep for another 3,000 years now.’
Earl of Carnarvon and his daughter Evelyn Herbert are seen boarding a crossing boat at Dover in January 1923 en route to the Valley of the Kings
British Patron of Archaeological Research George Herbert, Fifth Earl of Carnarvon and his daughter Evelyn stand at the entrance to the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen
Fifty years after Carter’s discovery, many of the treasures in Tutankhamun’s tomb were displayed in a now-famous exhibition at the British Museum in London. Above: Queen Elizabeth II opens the exhibition
Approximately 4,400 visitors on the first day, with over 30,000 in the first week. Above: The queue to enter the exhibition
Records revealed by MailOnline last year showed Carter staying with the Earl of Carnarvon in Highclere when the 1921 census was taken.
His age was listed as 47, his marital status ‘single’ and his occupation made no mention of his real occupation.
Instead, Herbert bizarrely referred to him as “artist (painter).”
The account also showed how the Earl, his wife Almina and Evelyn were cared for by 14 servants.
After the cleanup of Tutankhamun’s tomb was completed in 1932, Carter stopped excavations and died seven years later.
From May 19 to 21, London’s Rare Book Fair will be held at the Saatchi Gallery.