A Collection of Watercolours taken in and on the way to Afghanistan including: 'Belooches in the Bolari Pass' (frontispiece of Sketches in Afghaunistan, London, 1842); 'The Jezailchee'; 'Hajee Khan Kauker'; 'Abdnol Rusheed Khan. nephew of Dost Muhammad Khan'; 'Children playing at Horses/on a wall. Caubul 6 Sept/Done on the Spot/Caubul 6 Sepr'; 'Vignette to be/placed on the/page when the /Streets of Caubul/are described'; 'Hajee Khan Kauker the renowned/Nusireoodoulah', 'The Cofaid. Wulla Mahomad - who did good service in going in &/out of Ghiznee the day/before the Capture /& bringing important/information'; 'The Caubul Akhbar nouees./reading the news'; 'Caubul Catturne/In the Street/Covering to go out', illustrated; 'Three Beloochees captured stealing Camels on the March'; 'The Khiva Vakul (Vakeel?)'; 'Children at play at Chundi Khan-ka-Kote.'; 'Crossing the Indus/close to Bhukker.'; 'Lukeh Oslaf Khan'; a seated Gentleman 'At the place where/the distribution the Deurahee/is described', illustrated; 'The Governor's place of refuge during/the capture of the Frontiers'; and 'Wulee Mahommad Sir John Keane's Cassid'.

James Atkinson, doctor, journalist and artist of the Afghan Campaign, became Superintendent of the Government Gazette in 1818 and of the Press from 1823. In 1833 he became Surgeon to the 55th Native Infantry and between 1838 and 1841 served in Kabul. The present sketches are original drawings made by Atkinson on the spot and relate to his publications Sketches in Afghaunistan and The Expedition into Afghaunistan. The drawings are inscribed with references to the artist's journal, and the artist's notes explain where in his planned publication the various illustrations should appear. Clearly Atkinson intended many more drawings to be published than in fact appeared. His Sketches in fact contain 25 drawings plus the frontispiece (the original drawing for which is in this collection); 16 of the remaining original drawings are in the India Office Library (WD2392-2407). At the time when Atkinson was travelling Afghanistan was a little-known country. Atkinson took drawing lessons from the artist George Chinnery (1774-1852). He probably first met Chinnery in 1805 when he was appointed assistant surgeon at Backergunge, to the south of Dacca, soon after Chinnery was in Dacca from 1808. His wife became a student of the artist and Atkinson himself is known to have executed a number of copies after Chinnery in addition to his own original watercolours.
A copy of Atkinson's Sketches in Afghaunistan sold at Christie's London, 25 May 1995, (£1,840).