China, Peking

3 albumen prints (each approximately 205 x 270mm.), individually mounted on card (not joined), short tear in one image

Page, B. Beijing Then and Now (San Diego: Thunder Bay Press, 2007), pp.66-67

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 very rare 3-part panorama across the North Lake of Beihai Park in Beijing. The right hand panel shows the Imperial Canal Bridge (Yuheqiao), a nine-arched marble bridge, which crossed the stretch of water connecting Behai (North Lake) to Zhonghai (Middle Lake). The bridge was significant because it linked the inner city to the Imperial city. A decorative pailou marks the far end of the bridge, and the buildings are part of the fortress known as the Circular city (Tuancheng). Though the Circular city was the centre of the capital during the Yuan Dynasty, all of the Mongol buildings were destroyed by the Ming, who built their own halls and pavillions in the early 1400s. This important bridge was photographed in 1868 by Dr John Dudgeon and in c.1871 by John Thomson (illus. White, S. John Thomson (1985), no.107).