THOMSON, JOHN and BEACH, WILLIAM R. Visit of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T., G.C.M.G., to Hong Kong in 1869. Portrait frontispiece and 6 albumen prints by John Thomson (one folding) on original card mounts with printed titles below. 4to (12 x 9 inches; 300 x 230 mm), original 1/2 red morocco over red cloth gilt, bevelled edges, crude repairs to corners and spine tips, spine chipped with loss of gilt lettering, corners bumped, all edges gilt; bookseller's ticket to front pastedown, intermittent toning and foxing, chiefly marginal; cloth clamshell case. Rare first edition of "The first photographically-illustrated book published in China" (Richard Ovenden, John Thomson, 1997, p.16). The photographer's identity is given in the preface: "The photographs are by Mr. J. Thomson, F.R.G.S., and will, it is believed, form one of the chief attractions of the work, the expense of which, has of course been very considerably increased by their insertion." The photographs are a portrait of the Duke, Government House (double page panorama), Queen's Road (prepared for illumination), Chinese Street (prepared for illumination), HongKong Facing the Harbour, the Race Course and Happy Valley, and The City Hall. According to ABPC and Rare Book Hub, the first copy at auction since 1994. Hong Kong: Noronha and Sons, Government Printers, 1869