4 photos mainly concerning the Beijing Ancient Observatory.

Albumen prints, b/w, 18,4 x 23,7 cm, pasted on thick cardboard, one with stamp "A. Reising, photographer, Tientsin", some with ms. legends (spotted margins, one lower corner of photo def.).

1-3. The Beijing Ancient Observatory was built in 1442 during the Ming dynasty and further developed during the Qing. In the 17th c. the Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest reorganised the observatory and added many new, more accurate instruments from Europe in order to expand the observations of the stars and the planets. 3 albumen prints show the different instruments, the celestial globe, the quadrant, etc., on the site of the ancient observatory. - 4. We also add a group photo, probably not related to the observatory, with men standing next to what seems the end of railway. In pencil the (Western) names of Cap. Damade, Hache, Robinot, Philipot, Bing, M. Griffon, Bernard Lavergne and Blondé.