# - Muscat, Oman--A collection

1. "Native Princes – Muscat", albumen print (140 x 195mm.), mounted on card, titled in ink on mount. Possibly Sultan Thuwaini or his brother Majid?
2. Muscat, view of the harbour, albumen print (204 x 280mm.), mounted on card
3. "Muscat. No.2. General view of the Harbour", albumen print (208 x 294mm.), signed lower right with initials "J.W.", mounted on card, titled on mount
4. "Muscat. General View of Town and Harbour," 2 albumen prints joined (i.e. cropped prints of nos.2 and 3 above) to form a panorama (192 x 440mm.), mounted on fine linen, within blue paper wrapper watermarked with the date 1859, titled in ink on wrapper
5. "Muscat, Entrance to Eastern Point of Harbour. H.M.S. Steamer Punjaub at anchor," albumen print (180 x 243mm.), signed lower right with "J.W.", mounted on card, titled in ink on mount
6. "Muscat. Western Point of Harbour", albumen print (172 x 242mm.), signed lower right with initials "J.W.", mounted on card, titled in ink on mount
7. "Muscat", albumen print (150 x 228mm.), mounted on green paper, titled on mount
8. Steamship at anchor (possibly at a coaling station near Muscat?), albumen print (218 x 195mm.), mounted on paper. The way the hull is painted does not match the naval pattern of this period, but she could be HMS Lyra, which was a screw sloop

Nwulia, M.D.E. Britain and Slavery in East Africa, (Washington, 1975), pp.68-76

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

a collection of very rare images, including what are apparently the earliest known photographs of muscat, taken in either 1859 or 1860 when the British steamship HMS Punjaub was in Muscat, during Zanzibar's struggle for independence from Oman. In 1859 the Government of Bombay prevented Muscat's ruler, Sultan Thuwaini from invading Zanzibar. Thuwaini's ships were intercepted off Ras el Hadd by HMS Punjaub in February 1859 and were escorted back to Muscat. In 1860 Brigadier William M. Coghlan, British Political Resident at Aden was appointed to investigate and report on the dispute, together with the Arabic linguist Rev. Percy Badger and Assistant Surgeon J. Welsh. They arrived at Muscat on May 31st 1860 on board HMS Punjaub. After nine days it proceeded to Zanzibar arriving there on 29th September where the commission stayed until October 18th and then returned to Aden.

The photograper "J.W." of numbers 2-6 listed above, may possibly have been Assistant Surgeon J. Welsh, who was a member of the Bombay Geographical Society and who on 21 March 1861 delivered a paper to the Society "Three abstracts of Meteorological observations made during the voyage of the Muscat-Zanzibar Commission to and from Zanzibar in H.M.'s steamer Punjaub." HMS Punjaub was sold and renamed in 1863.