Albumen print, 295mm x 215mm in card mount.

Photograph showing Raguraj Singh, Maharaja of Rewa c1870s by Bourne and Shepherd.

Bourne & Shepherd, founded in 1863, stood as an iconic Indian photographic studio, boasting the status of one of the world's oldest established photographic businesses. During its zenith, it reigned as the preeminent commercial entity in 19th- and early 20th-century India, boasting widespread agencies throughout the country, as well as outlets in London and Paris, along with a thriving mail-order service. However, a catastrophic fire in 1991 ravaged a significant portion of its photographic archives, leading to substantial financial setbacks. Coupled with legal disputes with the Indian government, which owned the studio building, and the escalating prominence of digital technology, the studio succumbed to closure in June 2016 after 176 years of continuous operation.