[CARTER HOWARD]: (1874-1939) English archaeologist and Egyptologist, discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1923. T.L.S., Alfred W. Fryzer, by the solicitor to Almina Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon, two pages (separate leaves), 4to, Arundel Street, Strand, London, 25^th June 1930, to Howard Carter. Fryzer commences his letter by stating 'I think Lady Carnarvon has explained to you that I am anxious to get your signature to a document which I hope will assist in obtaining payment from the Egyptian Government of the money which has, I believe, already been voted to her Ladyship and the representatives of the late Lord Carnarvon', further stating 'It will be necessary for you to sign this document in the presence of a Notary Public who will subsequently have to attend at the Egyptian Consulate to authenticate the document in manner appropriate for use in Egypt' and asking Carter if he could call in at the office the following afternoon. With a few pencil annotations ('Friday 11am' etc.) in Carter's hand to the upper part of the first page and with a small area of paper loss and tear to the lower edge of the second page, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise about VG

Almina Herbert (1876-1969) Countess of Carnarvon, wife of George Herbert, 5^th Earl of Carnarvon. The Countess was the illegitimate daughter of the banker Alfred de Rothschild, who provided her with considerable wealth which went towards funding the search for Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. The Countess continued to provide financial support for Carter's excavation of the tomb until 1925, when she reached a settlement with the Egyptian authorities whereby she gave up any claim on the contents of the tomb in return for a compensation payment of £36,000. Despite her wealth, the Countess was declared bankrupt in 1951 and spent the last years of her life living in a terraced house in Bristol.

 

George Herbert, 5^th Earl of Carnarvon (1866-1923) English peer and aristocrat, financial backer of the search for and excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings.