The great haul ofChina: Incredible archive pictures of Chinese life in the 1860s taken by British colonialist sells at auction for £40,000
英国殖民者拍摄的1860年代中国老照片拍卖4万英镑

An historic collection of some of the firstphotographs taken in China have sold for a staggering £40,000 - four times theestimated value.在中国拍摄的这些首批历史性的老照片拍卖出4万英镑的高价，是预估价值的4倍。

The album of rare images and alsowatercolours was complied by a British interpreter who worked in the Far Eastfor 50 years in the 19th century.
这些稀有的照片和水彩画为一名英国翻译者所有，他于19世纪在远东工作了50年。

Enterprising Herbert Elgar Hobson collectedthe shots of dignitaries, ships, landscapes and cities when he worked with theChinese Maritime Customs Service - a governmental tax collection agency.
当时他为中国海关总税务司（一个政府征税机构）工作，期间拍摄了这些高官，船只，风景和城市的照片。

The collection - one of the best ever seenby experts - remained with his family until it sold for £40,000 at DominicWinter auctioneers in Gloucestershire on Thursday.
专家认为这些藏品是同类中最好的之一，一直由其家人保管，最后于周四拍卖了4万英镑。

Auctioneer and senior valuer Chris Albury said: 'It was an album of about 200photographs and watercolours and printed items from between 1860 and 1870.
一名拍卖商兼高级估价师称：“总共有200张1860年到1870年间的照片、水彩画和印刷品。”

'They were collected by Herbert ElgarHobson, who was an interpreter for General Gordon during the Taiping Rebellion.
“搜集者名叫HerbertElgar Hobson，太平天国运动期间，他是戈登将军的翻译。”

'He was working out there with the Imperial Maritime Customs out in China andhe worked out there for several decades.
“他还为中国海关总税务司工作，长达几十年。”

He added: 'It is very special anddifferent.'
他说：“这些照片非常特别和与众不同。”

'Everything in the album is annotated byHobson in his own hand so it offers a fascinating insight into thoughts of thetime.
“每张作品都有他本人的注释，所以能一窥当时社会的思想面貌。”

'When I first opened it I sat down and looked at it and when I finished Ididn't know what to say.'
“当我第一次打开这本相册时，我坐下来就那样看着，看完后，我都不知道要说什么了。”

There were five bidders of the phone fromAmerica, the UK and China, as well as buyers in the room from France andIreland and a handful of internet hopefuls.
美国英国中国总共5个电话竞标人，当场还有来自法国和爱尔兰的买家，还有一些网络买家。

The album - as well as a second smallercollection by the same collector - went to the same agent on the phone bidder fromAmerica.
最终被一位美国电话竞标人买走。

Hobson was born in Ashbourne, Derbyshireand arrived in Shanghai in August 1861 where he worked until his retirement in1912.

Hobson出生于德比郡的阿什本，1861年8月抵达上海，一直在上海工作到1912年退休。