2 volumes, folio (420 x 335mm.), 70 WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS on silk of minority peoples (368 x 295mm.), and 10 WATERCOLOUR MAPS on silk, all mounted with silk borders and bound concertina-style, the paintings and maps with pen and ink captions in Chinese calligraphy, original decorative silk-covered boards, preserved in a later custom-made Japanese wooden box with lid, the box inscribed with Chinese characters : 'Wu Tian Zhi Tu' (Maps of the Five Directions) and an ink inscription 'Nagasaki, 1880 / 2 Books'

Acquired in Japan in the late nineteenth century, "Nagasaki 1880 / 2 Books", ink inscription on lid of box; thence by descent in a private English country house collection; purchased by the present owner in 2015

cf. Woolley, N. Celestial Empire. Life in China 1644-1911 (National Library of Australia, 2016), p. 9

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."

MIAO ALBUMS OF THIS QUALITY OF YUNNAN ARE RARE. 'The border regions around Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou were home to a variety of peoples that had long resisted central control. Qing administrators adopted proven strategies of their forebears, ranging from an alliance to suppression. Yet, here as elsewhere, the Qing court initially adopted a more positive attitude and tried to learn more about their subjects. One of the products of this engagement was the so-called 'Miao Album', a collection of illustrations that introduced the customs of ethnic groups in these border regions.' (Woolley) Most known examples of Miao albums show the peoples of adjacent Guizhou province, so the present albums are unusual in that they depict the peoples of Yunnan, accompanied by maps showing a specific area of southern central Yunnan. The fine quality of the painting, together with their large size and anonymous nature, indicates a possible Yongzheng date, or more probably, a Qianlong date of production, and indicate that they were made for a high Chinese official associated with the Qing territorial campaigns in Yunnan in Guizhou.