BURMA - SAMUEL BOURNE (1834-1912) & CHARLES SHEPHERD (18 - Lot 129

BURMA - SAMUEL BOURNE (1834-1912) & CHARLES SHEPHERD (1863-1903) Dispatch from the 1875 Burmese Embassy to the Prince of Wales. Photograph. Albumen print mounted on card and captioned "Burmese ambassadors" in pencil beneath the image. Image: 14.1 x 9.7 cm; mount: 16.2 x 11.8 cm This photograph was taken during a diplomatic mission to Calcutta in 1875. The mission took place towards the end of King Mindon's reign and was led by Kinwun Mingyi. Its main objective was to restore relations with the English after unsuccessful attempts. The group met the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) on December 27 at a reception at Government House. The Prince was touring the Indian Empire at the time. In this photograph, Kinwun Mingyi is seated in the center of the group of high-ranking Burmese officers. The Englishman to his right is Major McMahon, the Indo-British government's political agent at the Mandalay court during this period. Bibliography: Thweep Rittinaphakorn, "Unseen Burma. Early Photography 1862-1962", p.27.