Established as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society, in 1857, the Society became affiliated to the Royal Asiatic Society the following year, becoming the Royal Asiatic Society (North China Branch). This material was collated in the interaction of the two Societies; the closure of the North China Branch and subsequent questions regarding it closure; and in its reopening and reestablishing links with the Royal Asiatic Society. These are:
- Letter from Joseph Edkins, Secretary, Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society, to Professor Horace Hayman Wilson concerning the formation of the Society and to send a copy of its Constitution. Letter and Constitution handwritten, letter dated 2 December 1857.
- "A Catalogue of the Library of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (Including the Library of Alex. Wylie Esq.) Systematically Classed. By Henri Cordier, Hon. Librarian". Printed pamphlet, printed in Shanghai at the "Ching-Foong" General Printing Office, 1872.
- Postcard send to Dr. J.C. Fergusson to remind of a meeting that day. Signed [ ] Daly, Honorary Secretary. The postcard bears a hand-painted picture of a Chinese flag-carrier and gong player. Undated, c.1911 (John Calvin Fergusson was President of the Society from 1911-1913).
- Photocopy of a letter from the Honorary Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, North China Branch, to the Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society, to inform him of the list of articles published by Mrs Ayscough was in the 1912 volume of their Journal. Typed, dated 6 August 1923.
- Correspondence concerning electing a Corresponding Fellow for the Royal Asiatic Society from the Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch - 3 letters from the President, Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch; Arthur de C. Sowerby, elected Fellow; and Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society. Typed, dated 24 September - 1 December 1941.
- Letter from D.E.J. Abraham, Vice-President, Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch, to The Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to announce the closure of the North China Branch and the gift of its possessions to the People's Government of China. Typed, dated 19 November 1952.
- Letter from A.J. Hayim to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to enclose a card from Mr and Mrs Abraham which they requested to be forwarded to the Society. (The card is not with the letter.) Handwritten, dated 29 June 1954.
- Business card of Oliver Edmund Clubb, Consul General of the United States of America, in envelope addressed to Sir Mortimer Wheeler, which is annotated, "Dr. Edmund Clubb, N. China Branch". Undated
- Correspondence regarding obtaining and republishing copies of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch. Seven letters, typed, dated 22 March 1966 - 4 February 1975.
- Letter from Dennis Duncanson, Vice-President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Fr. Edward J. Malatesta, University of San Francisco, to inquire on information that Malatesta may have of the whereabouts of the former library of the Royal Asiatic Society North China Branch. Typed, dated 9 August 1990.
- Correspondence between Sir Peter Leslie and Dennis Duncanson, Director, Royal Asiatic Society, concerning the papers of Thomas William Kingsmill, member of the Shanghai Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Typed, 2 letters, dated 4 November - 15 November 1993.
- Correspondence between B.L. Drake and Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, concerning the possessions of Professor F.S. Drake, formerly of the Shanghai Branch. Two letters dated 6 March 1995 - 18 May 1995. The list, "List of Dr Drake's Collection stored in the Shanghai Museum (R.S.A.) Shanhghai" is with the letters. This is on fax paper and very faded, dated 31 May 1951.
- Correspondence between Eric N. Danielson, Education Consultant and Historian, and Adrian Thomas, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to inform regarding the former library of the Shanghai Branch of the Society which Danielson has discovered in the Shanghai Library and which is due to be put on public display. Two copies of emails, dated 26 -28 November 2002.
- "Message to those considering reforming the Asiatic Society in Shanghai" from Professor Francis Robinson, President, Royal Asiatic Society, dated 6 March 2006.
- Correspondence concerning the visit of Dr Liu Wei, Honorary Vice President, Royal Asiatic Society, Shanghai Branch, to the Royal Asiatic Society. Copies of emails and letter confirming invitation, dated 15 January -17 January 2007.
- Postcard from Officers of "Shanghai RAS Library" to Edward Weech, Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society, to thank for the tour of the Royal Asiatic Society Library. Handwritten, dated 8 August 2017. The image on the postcard is of "Lane 481, Taixing Road, a shikumen longlang".
- Letter from Professor A.J. Stockwell, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Alan Babington-Smith concerning constiutional connection between the tow Societies. Typed, dated 30 October 2018.