SECRETARY'S REPORT 105 



dealers, 787 ; for other museums, 1,270. In all, 1,850 photographs were 

 examined, and 563 Oriental language inscriptions were translated for 

 outside individuals and institutions. By request, 16 groups totaling 

 314 persons met in the exhibition galleries for docent service by staff 

 members. Two groups totaling 25 persons were given docent serv- 

 ice in the storage rooms by staff members. 



Among the visitors were 57 distinguished foreign scholars or per- 

 sons holding official positions in their own countries who came here 

 under the auspices of the State Department to study museum admin- 

 istration and practices in this country. 



In the technical laboratory 51 objects from the Freer collections and 

 46 from outside sources were examined. The following project was 

 begun : 



1, Collection of specimens and information on various efflorescences on objects 

 in museum cases. 



The following projects were continued : 



1. X-ray diffraction studies on jade objects in the Freer collections. 



2. Collection of further specimens and information about the occurrence and dis- 



tribution of smalt (cobalt blue glass pigment) in the Near and Far East. 



3. Collection of further specimens and information about Maya blue pigment 



from Central American sources. 



4. Collection of further specimens and information on the red pigment vermilion 



on ancient Chinese objects. 



5. Examination of specimens of wall paintings from the ancient Christian church 



of the Chora in Istanbul in cooperation with Dumbarton Oaks Research 

 Library and Collection. 



The following projects were completed : 



1. Development of technique of mounting paint cross sections in cold-setting 



polyester resin for microscopic identification. 



2. Preparation of a selected bibliography on the conservation of ancient bronzes. 

 S. Conservation and treatment of several Freer objects, including bronzes, pot- 

 tery, stone reliefs, and wooden sculptures. 



4. Collection of about 400 quantitative chemical analyses of ancient bronzes re- 

 ported in the literature. 



During the year, 7 written reports were made and 37 verbal reports 

 given on objects examined in the technical laboratory. 



In August, Dr. Pope began a 7-month trip to the Far East and 

 Southeast Asia to study museums, private collections, and kilnsites in 

 connection with his research in various phases of Far Eastern ceramics. 

 After brief visits to the museums in Seattle and Honolulu, he spent 

 2 months in Japan, 2 weeks in Formosa, 10 days in Hong Kong, 5 

 days in Saigon, 3 days in Phnom Penh, 6 days at Angkor, and a week 

 in Singapore. Then followed 17 days in Java, 2 weeks in Sarawak, a 

 month in Thailand, 3 days in Eangoon, a week in Calcutta, and 2 weeks 



