During the Edwardian era (1901-1910), Britain still had a great Empire, the largest the world had ever known and whose population dwarved even that of China, and as a result, maps of the world were swathed in pink (though the Empire would get larger still, and would not reach its zenith until 1922).
Queen Victoria, Britain's longest-serving monarch in history, died in 1901 and her son Edward VII was king - he held the title for being the longest heir-apparent for a longer period of time than anyone else in history.
The British Army had just fought, and won, the Boer War in South Africa; London hosted the 1908 Summer Olympics, the games in which Great Britain finished top of the medals table by winning a staggering 146 medals (56 gold, 51 silver and 39 bronze), well ahead of the nearest competitor, the United States (which won 47 medals) and, in 1905, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, whilst in no way being Britain's first Prime Minister was, though, the first one to actually be given that title.
But, when looking at photos of the Edwardian age, we usually only see it in black and white.
But these newly-discovered photos, which include one of Edward VII, actually show us the Edwardians in glorious technicolour...
In king in colour: The Edwardians as you've never seen them before following historic discovery
By Daily Mail Reporter
20th April 2009
Daily Mail
King Edward VII stares out of the picture, taking a brief break during a stroll through a Scottish estate in full Highland costume in the autumn of 1909.
In another vivid shot, a tiger stretches out at London Zoo, as bow-tied and bowler-hatted visitors look on.
Recently discovered in the home of the banker Lionel de Rothschild, who took the images, they offer a unique insight into Edwardian life.
Enlarge
Royal colours: King Edward VII pictured in full Highland costume in 1909
Rothschild was an enthusiastic amateur photographer who experimented in taking the pictures, called autochromes, and went about perfecting the new process of taking images.
The image of the King was taken on one of the banker's regular trips to Scotland for the autumn grouse season, at Tulchan in Strathspey, 15 miles from Balmoral.
Eight months after it was taken, Edward died and George V took the throne.
Other photographs include members of the de Rothschild family enjoying a day out in the woods in 1912 and soldiers at a military encampment.
Mr de Rothschild eventually accumulated 700 autochromes, and kept each carefully wrapped in newspaper to preserve the freshness of the tones.
He bought and moved into the Exbury Estate in Hampshire in 1919 where the images were found.
There, he planned and planted world-famous gardens and developed the Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons and azaleas.
Enlarge
A stretch in time: An autochrome of the tiger in London Zoo's Lion House in 1910
His autochromes lay forgotten in a cupboard in Exbury House until they were discovered by another Lionel de Rothschild, his grandson. Modern-day technology has now allowed them to be scanned for the first time.
They now form an important part of the Rothschild Archive and are being received with acclaim in the photographic world.
Despite the time that has passed they have lost none of their colour or freshness.
The current Lionel de Rothschild, is delighted the collection can now be seen by the public, and is particularly proud of the image of Edward VII.
He said: 'We believe this must be one of only a very few colour pictures taken of the King. It would be interesting to find out if it is indeed, the only colour image.
Renowned beauty of the time, Lady Helen Vincent, wife of the diplomat Sir Edgar Vincent, is seen impeccably dressed, posing beside a stone sculpture in 1906
'His great grand-daughter, her majesty the Queen, still visits here at Exbury and remains great friends with the de Rothschild family.'
Victor Gray, co-ordinator of Exbury's forthcoming autochrome exhibition said: 'It's hard to explain the quality of the colour, and imagine the astonishment when autochromes were first displayed.
'They show the Edwardian world in a new light, in a soft and subtle colour,' he said.
Mr Gray said the autochrome process, first demonstrated in England in 1907, was the first colour photographic method to be commercially viable.
He added: 'For the first time, colour photography was within the remit of an amateur as long as he could afford it.'
Colour of war: Three British soldiers at a military encampment in Tidworth in Wiltshire in 1911
Lionel de Rothschild experimented with autochromes between 1908-1912, building a collection of images taken in Britain, Europe and North Africa.
Autochromes eventually had their day. Despite the huge initial enthusiasm when the French Lumihre brothers announced their invention, the plates could not be copied or printed and had to be examined through a viewer.
Lionel changed his style of photography, as did many amateurs, but had the forethought to ensure his autochromes were carefully wrapped and stored.
Visitors to the exhibition, at Exbury House in Hampshire, can view a selection of the autochromes in light boxes and see projections of many not on display. The exhibition open on May 1.
dailymail.co.uk
Queen Victoria, Britain's longest-serving monarch in history, died in 1901 and her son Edward VII was king - he held the title for being the longest heir-apparent for a longer period of time than anyone else in history.
The British Army had just fought, and won, the Boer War in South Africa; London hosted the 1908 Summer Olympics, the games in which Great Britain finished top of the medals table by winning a staggering 146 medals (56 gold, 51 silver and 39 bronze), well ahead of the nearest competitor, the United States (which won 47 medals) and, in 1905, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, whilst in no way being Britain's first Prime Minister was, though, the first one to actually be given that title.
But, when looking at photos of the Edwardian age, we usually only see it in black and white.
But these newly-discovered photos, which include one of Edward VII, actually show us the Edwardians in glorious technicolour...
In king in colour: The Edwardians as you've never seen them before following historic discovery
By Daily Mail Reporter
20th April 2009
Daily Mail
King Edward VII stares out of the picture, taking a brief break during a stroll through a Scottish estate in full Highland costume in the autumn of 1909.
In another vivid shot, a tiger stretches out at London Zoo, as bow-tied and bowler-hatted visitors look on.
Recently discovered in the home of the banker Lionel de Rothschild, who took the images, they offer a unique insight into Edwardian life.
Enlarge
Royal colours: King Edward VII pictured in full Highland costume in 1909Rothschild was an enthusiastic amateur photographer who experimented in taking the pictures, called autochromes, and went about perfecting the new process of taking images.
The image of the King was taken on one of the banker's regular trips to Scotland for the autumn grouse season, at Tulchan in Strathspey, 15 miles from Balmoral.
Eight months after it was taken, Edward died and George V took the throne.
Other photographs include members of the de Rothschild family enjoying a day out in the woods in 1912 and soldiers at a military encampment.
Mr de Rothschild eventually accumulated 700 autochromes, and kept each carefully wrapped in newspaper to preserve the freshness of the tones.
He bought and moved into the Exbury Estate in Hampshire in 1919 where the images were found.
There, he planned and planted world-famous gardens and developed the Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons and azaleas.
Enlarge
A stretch in time: An autochrome of the tiger in London Zoo's Lion House in 1910
His autochromes lay forgotten in a cupboard in Exbury House until they were discovered by another Lionel de Rothschild, his grandson. Modern-day technology has now allowed them to be scanned for the first time.
They now form an important part of the Rothschild Archive and are being received with acclaim in the photographic world.
Despite the time that has passed they have lost none of their colour or freshness.
The current Lionel de Rothschild, is delighted the collection can now be seen by the public, and is particularly proud of the image of Edward VII.
He said: 'We believe this must be one of only a very few colour pictures taken of the King. It would be interesting to find out if it is indeed, the only colour image.
Renowned beauty of the time, Lady Helen Vincent, wife of the diplomat Sir Edgar Vincent, is seen impeccably dressed, posing beside a stone sculpture in 1906
'His great grand-daughter, her majesty the Queen, still visits here at Exbury and remains great friends with the de Rothschild family.'
Victor Gray, co-ordinator of Exbury's forthcoming autochrome exhibition said: 'It's hard to explain the quality of the colour, and imagine the astonishment when autochromes were first displayed.
'They show the Edwardian world in a new light, in a soft and subtle colour,' he said.
Mr Gray said the autochrome process, first demonstrated in England in 1907, was the first colour photographic method to be commercially viable.
He added: 'For the first time, colour photography was within the remit of an amateur as long as he could afford it.'
Colour of war: Three British soldiers at a military encampment in Tidworth in Wiltshire in 1911
Lionel de Rothschild experimented with autochromes between 1908-1912, building a collection of images taken in Britain, Europe and North Africa.
Autochromes eventually had their day. Despite the huge initial enthusiasm when the French Lumihre brothers announced their invention, the plates could not be copied or printed and had to be examined through a viewer.
Lionel changed his style of photography, as did many amateurs, but had the forethought to ensure his autochromes were carefully wrapped and stored.
Visitors to the exhibition, at Exbury House in Hampshire, can view a selection of the autochromes in light boxes and see projections of many not on display. The exhibition open on May 1.
dailymail.co.uk