A collection of photographs showing Jerusalem and the Holy Land between 1850 and 1930 is to sell at Sotheby's.

The collection consists of 1,700 images by a variety of photographers - including George Bridges and Frances Frith.

The collection consists of around 1,700 photographs

It's valued at £300,000-350,000 ($425,370-496,265) ahead of the April 28 auction in London.

Sotheby's comments: "The focus of this collection, formed over 25 years, was to acquire the finest examples of the earliest obtainable paper photographs of the most revered and historic sites in Jerusalem and its environs, taken by the most prominent photographers working in the Holy Land in the nineteenth century.

"The result is the largest single collection of photographs of the Holy Land to appear at auction, and a collection of the greatest historical significance, which would be very difficult to replicate today."

Also on offer is a rare copy of Aurora Australis, the book Shackleton and crew published in Antarctica during the winter of 1908.

The idea to publish Antarctica's first book was formulated as a way to combat "the spectre of Polar ennui".

Shackleton got the idea from Captain Scott, who published a newspaper titled The South Polar Times on his 1901-1904 and 1910-1913 expeditions to the region (Shackleton served as an officer on the first expedition).

A total of 100 copies of the book were printed and bound in packing crates. This specimen reads "Petit Pois" on the inside cover.

Other examples have sold well in the past, with one achieving £43,200 ($72,578) at Bonhams London in 2007.

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