A rare group of Sherpa artwork by members of Edmund Hillary's Silver Hut Expedition (1960-61), the first to scale Ama Dablam, the first to winter at 20,000 and to climb Mount Makulu without oxygen, and prove the method of high-altitude acclimatisation viable. This was also the expedition that claimed to prove the existence of the Yeti, or 'Abominable Snowman', in the high Himalayas.

The manuscript briefly recounts the success of the expedition and the difficulties faced both politically and culturally with climbing the high peaks of the Himalayas. The author makes note of the peoples of the mountains (Sikkim, Nepal, Tibet) believing their gods reside on the summits and their displeasure at being disturbed causing avalanches, and the importance, diplomatically and spiritually, of Tenzing Norgay having been there with Hillary at the top of Everest. Most of the Sherpa art depicts the Tibetan and Nepalese gods, or the people who believe in them, with two series of Tibetan dancers (one in ink and one in colour) and depictions of domestic scenes including harvesting vegetables and several variations of mountain goat.

The most captivating images include: two portraits of young Sherpas (probably by the author), a two-image series showing Sherpa 'Chumbi' as a young boy and entering Lhasa through the clouds, and a fine line drawing of the ascent of Mount Makulu with Edmund Hillary observing a Yeti and Yeti child above a Himalayan village. Collectively they provide a unique look into life in the Himalayas and the beliefs held by the people of the mountains.

Although the identity of the author (and artist of the two portraits) is not certain, he describes himself as 'a layman with this largely scientific expedition', potentially pointing to George Lowe (1924-2013) who also accompanied Hillary and Tenzing to the summit of Everest in 1953.

Folio (37 x 27 cm); 2pp. of manuscript text on a bifolding folio leaf, and pencil portrait of one of the expedition's Sherpas (possibly one of Tenzing's sons) to adjoining leaf, with 18 drawings and paintings mostly attributed to Sherpa artists, between 18 x 27cm & 27 x 37cm in size; a touch of edge creasing but on the whole remarkably well preserved.