Rare Photos from John Franklin's Ill-Fated Polar Expedition Hit the Market

A set of daguerreotype photographs depicting Sir John Franklin and his senior officers, taken just three days before their ill-fated Arctic expedition in 1845, is going up for auction at Sotheby's in London. The photographs, commissioned by Franklin's wife, were assumed to be lost until now and are expected to fetch up to £200,000 ($253,000). The expedition's disappearance and subsequent search efforts have captivated the public, with the fate of the crew remaining largely unknown until the discovery of the ships in 2014 and 2016. The photographs provide a poignant glimpse into the historic moment before the expedition's tragic demise.