A variety of drawings and graphic designs created by Gerard V. Murphy, a former student at The Glasgow School of Art in the 1930s. The diverse subjects of his drawings include animals, plants, architecture, human anatomy and figures. A subfonds titled 'Teaching examples' features his teaching materials as an art teacher at schools, intended for printmaking techniques and pattern design education.

Most items have been marked with his name or student registration numbers, assuming they were created during his time as a student at GSA. The dominant materials in his works are pencil and watercolour, worked on cartridge paper.

Some of this material was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014. Paper conservation was completed in 2019.

14 sheets of teaching examples and one title page, assumed to have been compiled as Murphy's portfolio during his career as an art teacher in schools located in Scotland, such as Motherwell RC High School and Coatbridge Secondary School. These teaching materials include pattern designs, graphic designs (possibly for students' school activities), and woodblock printmaking examples. Most items have been marked with the intended level of students as appropriate examples for education.

The collection consists of 305 photographs taken between 1853 and 1896. Sitters included local dignitaries, friends and family including John Brown, Queen Victoria's Ghillie. The collection also includes landscapes and the streets of Glasgow, particularly around the Pollokshields area on the south side of the city. Other subjects include ships, ship yards and stately houses.