Victorian aristocrat's album of photos from the 1870s is set to fetch up to ... trends now
A globetrotting Victorian aristocrat's photo album of an underdeveloped world on the cusp of dramatic change has come to light.
Sir Arthur Hobhouse and his wife travelled across North America and China en route to his posting in India in the 1870s, when the British Empire was at its peak.
He took with him his camera and documented the places the couple visited.
In North America, Hobhouse took pictures of places including Niagara Falls, a ruined Quebec city in 1876 after a devastating fire and a packed ice-skating hall in Montreal.
There are also early snaps of Washington DC, Yosemite National Park and San Fransciso before the Golden Gate Bridge was built.
A globetrotting Victorian aristocrat's photo album of an underdeveloped world on the cusp of dramatic change has come to light. Sir Arthur Hobhouse and his wife took the opportunity to travel across North America and China en route to his posting in India in the 1870s, when the British Empire was at its peak. Above: Niagara Falls
The couple spent time in San Francisco on the West Coast, taking this picture of the Golden Gate strait before the bridge was built
Also among the 69 black and white prints in the album is a striking double-page view of Hong Kong.
Even though it was regarded as a bustling harbour in the early 1870s, it is a world away from the skyscraper-filled financial metropolis it has become.
Still in Hong Kong, the British couple took time to visit its famous Happy Valley racecourse when it had just a few shed-like structures to house spectators.
Today it boasts seven-storey stands with executive bopxes that can accommodate 55,000 racegoers.
Also among the 69 black and white prints in the album is a striking double-page view of Hong Kong (above)
