By Harriet Arkell PUBLISHED: 10:32 EST, 24 April 2013 | UPDATED: 10:32 EST, 24 April 2013 These rare photographs taken more than 150 years ago are thought to be among the first ever pictures taken of China. Showing Beijing in the days before sky-scrapers when it was still known as Peking, the photographs were taken by Anglo-Italian photographer Felice Beato and include the first ever panorama of the city. The collection also includes the only known photograph of the old Imperial Summer Palace before it was destroyed by fire by British troops in 1860. This is the left half of the panoramic image, thought to be the first ever such shot taken of Peking, as Beijing was then called, by Anglo-Irish photographer Felice Beato
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These images, taken by photographer Felice Beato in 1860, are thought to be among the first-ever photos of China
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Snaps include only known photograph of the old Imperial Summer Palace before British soldiers destroyed it
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The Anglo-Italian cameraman embedded himself with the British Army and documented his travels with them
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Sotheby's is expecting to auction the collection of 18 of Beato's photographs for £200,000 in London next month
photographs, and one day he got up onto a wall overlooking @placeholder