Beken of Cowes

One of the greatest names in marine photography, Beken of Cowes, is for sale at £5 million.

The Beken collection has more than one million images, taken by three generations of Beken, Frank, Keith and Kenneth.

The Isle of Wight-based photographers have recorded all the major events on The Solent and also travelled the world to renowned regattas, including the America’s Cup and the Olympics.

Now, after more than 40 years afloat with his camera, Ken Beken is retiring and has put 200 years of maritime history for sale.

The assets of the business are the black and white archive, which goes back to 1888, and is on sale for £3.5 million, and the colour archive, which is up for £1.5 million.

The collection ranges from the era of glass plates to today’s digital images and has been described as a "national treasure".

Among those who have visited the business in Birmingham Road are Robin Knox-Johnston, Ellen MacArthur and crowned heads of Europe.

The above is part of an article from the local newspaper.

In a window of the quaint shop in Cowes is a display of cameras which have taken many iconic marine photographs the quality of which considering the conditions they were taken in is astounding.