3 John Thomson (1837-1921), Scottish, was one of the most famous and prolific photographers of 19th century China, preferring to distribute and disseminate his images as collotype, in preference to less permanent albumen prints, using the process of Alphonse Poitevin. He released his work on China, between 1873-74, through the Autotype Company of Ealing : a comprehensive range of 96 plates (for 222 views of China taken between 1868 and 1871 during of several trips to China and Taiwan). John Thomson returned to Great Britain with more than 500 glass negatives from China after leaving Hong Kong in 1872. These negatives have been preserved since 1921 at the Wellcome Library, with 250 others on Southeast Asia. “Illustrations of China and its people” is bound as a 4-volume set. Even if several international museums possess the complete 4-volume set of his China collotype plates, they cannot be exhibited without being disbound. The only known exhibitable set that can be safely displayed is the one being here offered for sale. Originally showcased for the first time in Taipei in 2006 (200,000 visitors) and then by a remarkable exhibition (103,000 visitors) at the Macao Museum in the summer of 2015, which has been the subject of a superb trilingual catalog. This complete set of 96 framed boards, in oak baguette, under glass, is housed and sold in five customised aluminium transport boxes. Each of the frames is the subject of a discreet engraved numbering which allows easy storage for checking after each exhibition. In addition to the remarkable catalog of the Macao Museum, we must point out two translations into Chinese language : by Xu JiaNing (GuangXi U Press, isbn:9787549564880) and an other one by Yeh LingFang, alsoprefaced by Michael Gray, published by Locus in Taiwan, which also reproduces these 222 views of China (isbn:978-986-98990-2-4). This rare and famous set is therefore ready for traveling exhibitions, including in China and Asia, where these collotypes are known by various publications, but have never been exhibited (except in Taipei and Macao). 55