• ink/wash on yellow paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• ATL Picture Collection E 28/4

• Provenance: Webster Collection; purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, ? hand) bottom

“Madras Sepoy 1859 -”

Notes: A Sepoy is an Indian horseman or (as in this case) soldier, employed in European service.

• black w/c & pencil on green paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• ATL Picture Collection E 28/16

• Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (w/c, R's hand) lower page

“on the old/ Kashmir Road 1889.”

• blac w/c & ink/wash on green paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• sign.: (ink) lower right corner “[L.H.R.]”

• ATL Picture Collection E 28/3

• Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom

The Girl I left behind me.”

• ink/washon yellow paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• ATL Collection E 28/5

• Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand)lower page

“-Burmese Girls -”

• ink/wash on green paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• ATL Collection E 28/9

• Provenance: Webster Collection, purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom centre

“Hill Karens”

Note: The Karens are the people of the inland Karens states of Burma.

• ink on yellow paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• ATL Picture Collection E 28/7

• Provenance: Webster Collection; purchased Bethunes Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom

“The Monkey woman of Ava’

Note: Ava is in Burma.

• ink/wash on yellow paper

• 221 × 175 mm.

• ATL Picture Collection E 28/11

• Provenance: Webster Collection; purchased Bethune's Auction, 1966

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower centre

“Voltizieur”

(ink, R's hand) lower right “[H.R.]”

Notes: This is a misspelling of Voltigeur; a skirmisher or Light Infantry soldier.

• w/c on white cart.

• 95 × 77 mm.

• NMNZ Collection FA 1894

Inscriptions

Verso: (ink, R's hand) whole page

“H. Robley/ 91 Curragh Camp/ Arabian Jew/ selling Ostrich/ feathers boa/ muff &c/ Aden/ Nb observe the/ natural curl/ & hat.”

Notes: Robley passed through the Suez Cannal in 1886 after a period of home leave. He rejoined his Regiment (91st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) in Ceylon on 7th June, 1886. [Fildes : 1921. p.129].

• gouache on cardboard

• 378 × 448 mm.

• sign.: (ink) lower right corner “H.G. Robley [illeg.] 1st Asst.”

• ATL Picture Collection B 77e/9

• Provenance: Lady McLean Collection

Inscriptions

Recto: (w/c, R's hand) top

“The Troops being withdrawn No. Lt. Copl. Cartridge, thoroughly conversant with duties/ of Drill, orderly room Quarter Master & Payments School. Musketry. Cookery/ hasty entrenchments &c& German/ Hindustani Indian Japanese Kamskatchan, Latin, Madrassce, Negro. Otaheite Parsee Quanko Sambo/ Russian, Sumali, Teloogoo, Uganada &C, &c, &c,/ Wech, X Yexidi, Zulu/ is appointed Instructor/ to the Mauritius Militia-.”

Verso: (pencil, ? hand) lower left

“From Lady McLean”

Notes: Robley was stationed in Mauritius with his Regiment (the 91st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), During 1880–81.

• w/c & pencil on white paper

• 226 × 287 mm.

• ATL Picture Collection A80/10

Inscriptions

Recto: (w/c R's hand) bottom left

“on road to Kandy”

Verso: (ink, R's hand) upper page

“Rapid Sketching/ taken from Railway train stoping high over the plain of ricefields “Adams Peak” in distance/ drawn by Lt. Col. Robley/ A & S Highers/ 1887.”

Notes: Kandy is in Ceylon. The 91st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were stationed there 1886–1887.

• black w/c & ink/wash on white paper

• 202 × 303 mm.

• sign.: (ink lower right “H.G. Robley”

• APL Collections

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand)bottom

“Loyals in the Reserve/ Terriory- Zuzluland septr 1884/ Red Bands on heads to distinguish.”

Verso: (ink, R's hand) whole page

“copy of drawing/ seen with great/ interest in old memories/ of 1884

“Allenby FM 1924 copy Stanley Hotel
Stanley Perthshire
23 Augt 1924

Dear General Robley,

Many thanks for your letting me see/ the drawing of the Zulu Impi/ it is life like, I remember the Impi, and/ gives vividly the idea and impression of/ a crowd in movement

I have signed it as desired by you-/ with best rememberances/and with all good wishes

Yrs sincerly,

Allenby”

Notes: Captain Edmund Allenby, of the Enniskillen Dragoons, fought with Robley against the Zulu (under the chief Usibehu). Allenby later became a Field Marshall Viscount. [Fildes:1921. p. 124].

• w/c & ink on white paper

• 325 × 202 mm.

• Hocken Library Collection MS 623

• Provenance: Hocken Collection

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) whole page

“Sketch of Formosan woman playing nose flute/ at Japanese Exhibition London, 1910/ (By Major-General Robley).

Till Formosa was/ occupied by Japan, the/ people were fierce, and great/ head hunters./ Formosan nose flute/-/ at the Japan Exhibition a/ musician who played the nose/ (a light reed) flute and was sketched by M. General Robley — The music was feeble and had a plaintive/ air. old pictures of NZd have given Maori musicians and/ nose flutes — see NZd Illd — an old book.

The Ainu have been protected and preserved by Japan/ Govt. but there has been/ no increase since 1882/ The men of this strange/ people have long flowing/ hair & beards./ The women tatu about around the lips/ this device/ [sketch]/ correct/ tika/ -/ G. Robley/ tatu was/ pricked in/ not cut -./ vide tatued lips and around/ -/ Ainu woman/ This was sketched/ from a young woman, the belle of the party at the Japan/ Exhibition/ by G.R./ was about sixteen.”

NB: A second example of this subject, more highly finished and without such extensive inscription, is housed in the same Archives Collection. (Details of dimensions, medium/support are as above.)

• ink/wash on white paper

• 177 × 255 mm.

• sign.: (ink) lower right corner “H.G. Robley”

• APL Collection NZ Prints 593

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) bottom

“Tipperary in French, Maori, Indian.”

Verso: (ink, R's hand) whole page

“c'est/ — First song of the Great War -/ The Maori rendering was early sent to artist/ by Colonel Porter CB NZ forces, it was of/ greatest interest to meet in London descendants of fighters against us — some of/ them with/ historic names.

I gave one trooper from Tauranga, an old/portrait taken of a relation of his, to show/ the tribe for “tangi” (cry over) H.G. Robley/M.”

Notes: “Tipperary” was one of Robley's favourite subjects for postcards. Under sketches of soldiers from a number of countries, he inscribed native-language versions of the World War I song “It's a long, long way to Tipperary.”

“I have written to Col. T.E. Lawrence of “Arabia” to get a verse of war song for my picture set.” [Robley-Taine:1927 T.E.R. Hodgson Collection]

– –

Three examples of Robley's ‘Tipperary’ illustrated postcards; the Maori, Arabian and French soliders' song
Auckland Public Library Collection NZ Prints 595 (229), (1), (26)

• black w/c & ink/wash on white cart.

• image: 168 × 127 mm.

• support: 232 × 186 mm.

• ATL Picture Collection A 80/225.

• Accn. No.: 76–161

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower page

“The New Zealand troops did not expect to see the President/ of the Transvaal decorated like the late Maori King, but/ it cannot be denied that the immense amount of cheek/ would lend itself to vast designs in tattooing/ meandering like his own in tortuous lines.”

• ink/wash on white paper

• 146 × 110 mm. (sight)

• HBAGM Collection MMC 814

• Presented by Lady McLean, Napier, 1930's

Inscriptions

Verso: (ink, R's hand) paper label, affixed, centre of page

“Note/ the original was given to the New Zealand/ Hall of the National Bazaar, war time,/ and there sold for £25.”

193. Kruger [sketch]
Auckland Institute & Museum

• ink & pencil on white paper

• image: 145 × 110 mm.

• support: 200 × 165 mm.

• NMNZ Collection (no class.)

• Provenance: Webster Collection, presented by T. Barrow, Wellington

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower page

[as per a) above]

Verso: (pencil, ? hand) bottom

“From K.A. Webster to T. Barrow 1957.”

• black w/c & ink wash on white cart.

• image: 164 × 127 mm.

• support: 252 × 157 mm.

VUW Collection Fildes NZ Portoflio No/4.

Presented to Horace Fildes, by the Artist, c. 1920

Inscriptions

Recto: (ink, R's hand) lower page

[as per a) above]

Notes: “The heavy visage had … so impressed me that I took a library with it in the direction of doing a head sketch of him showing his face wholly tattooed à la Maori, and surmouted by his famous tall hat; and this curious picture emblematic of New Zealand's participation in the Boer War was copied into the London Daily Mail” [Fildes:1921. p. 119].