Printed Book Purchases

• DUNS Scotus, John. Quodlibeta. [Edited by Thomas Penketh.] Venetijs: Johann Herbort, 1481.
  • One of six incunable editions of a work by Duns Scotus written towards the end of his brief life.
• RICHARD, of St. Victor. Richardi Sancti Victoris doctoris preclarissimi o[mn]ia opera in vnum volumen congesta. [Paris]: Venu[n]dantur in edibus Joannis Petit, [1518.]
• DONI, Antonio Francesco. La zucca del Doni. In Vinegia: per Francesco Marcolini, 1551.
  • Includes I cicalamenti, Le baie, Le chiachiere.
    On the basis of near contemporary inscriptions there is a strong likelihood that this volume was in the possession of Mary Queen of Scots.
• PROTESTANT INSTITUTE COLLECTION. Five hundred and seventy-one volumes formerly in the Library of the Protestant Institute of Scotland, owned by the Scottish Reformation Society, and deposited in the National Library since 1963. Including:
  • CALVIN, Jean. Institutio Christianae religionis, in libros quattuor nunc primum digesta. Genevae: Oliua Roberti Stephani, 1559.
    An early edition of John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. [A volume of 26 theological tracts printed between 1667 and 1682.]
    In a contemporary late 17th-century English binding in black turkey leather elaborately tooled in gold.
• [SKINNER, John]. A narrative of the proceedings relating to the Bill which was lately passed into a law, intituled An act for granting relief to pastors, ministers, and lay persons of the episcopal communion in Scotland. Aberdeen, 1792.
  • Relating to the protracted negotiations, in which Bishop Skinner was a principal participant, for the repeal of the Penal Acts against the Scottish Episcopal clergy.
• PRATTENT, John C. Protestants again warned! The danger of Catholic Emancipation endeavoured to be shewn. London, 1822.
  • Protestant polemic in connexion with the proposed extension of civil rights to British Roman Catholics.
• EMANCIPATION! A poem in two cantos. Embellished with explanatory notes, and caricature designs, for the instruction of His Holiness, Pope Pius. London, 1823.
  • A satire on Catholic Emancipation.
• BUCHANAN, George. Paraphrasis Psalmorum Davidis poetica. ... His adiecimus M. Antonij Flaminij argumenta, in singulos Psalmos. [Strasbourg]: Excudebat Iosias Ribelius, 1582.
• ROSA, Thomas. Idaea, sive De Iacobi Magnae Britanniae, Galliae et Hyberniae praestantissimi & augustissimi Regis, virtutibus & ornamentis, dilucida enarratio, eiusque comparatio exacta & enucleata. Londini: Excudebat Johannes Norton, 1608.
  • Copy of a eulogy on James VI and I previously in the possession of Sir James Balfour of Denmilne (1600-1657), historian and Lyon King-of-Arms and later owned by Sir Alexander Boswell (1775-1822), son of James Boswell, the biographer of Samuel Johnson.
• NARSIUS, Joannes. Joannis Narssii Anastasii F. Dordraco-Batavi Gustavus Saucius tragoedia. Editio secunda. Francofurti ad Moenum: Typis Wolffgangi Hoffmanni, 1633.
  • A play based on Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and his role in the Thirty Years' War. Contains poems dedicated to a number of notable contemporary Scots living in Sweden.
  Bound with:
  • NARSIUS, Joannes. Gustavidos, sive De bello Sueco-Austriaco libri tres. Hamburgi: ex officina Jacobi Rebenlini, 1632.
  And:
  • NARSIUS, Joannes. Joannis Narsii Med.D. Dordraco-Batavi Gustavidos sive De bello Sueco-Austriaco liber quartus. Francofurti ad Moenus: Typis Joannis Nicolai Stolzenbergeri, 1634.
• ACT for punishing the horrible crime of incest with death. 9. Iuly. 1649. Edinburgh: printed by Evan Tyler, printer to the Kings most excellent Majesty, 1649.
  • A Scottish statute. No recorded copies in any public location.
• CHARLES II. His Majesties declaration to all his loving subjects, December 26. 1662. Edinburgh: re-printed by Evan Tyler, 1663.
  • Scottish reprint of a promulgation originally issued in London, conceding religious liberty of conscience.
• A FEW of the many erratas, of that impression of the Bible, printed by the relict and heir of Andrew Anderson in 12o at Edinburgh, 1686. And by a false title page, they being ashamed to own its uncorrectness. [Edinburgh, ca. 1686.]
• FOR His Majesties speciall [sic] service. Advertisement by me undersubscriving for conveening [sic] of the Commissioneres of Assesment [sic] and other heritors of the Sheriffdome of Aberdeen. [Aberdeen, 1688].
  • A proclamation calling out the local militia to meet the threatened invasion of Great Britain by the Prince of Orange. Previously unrecorded.
• A TABLE of the impost and shoar [sic] dues of the burgh of Aberdeen, made and set down be [sic] the Provest [sic], Bailies and Councill of the said burgh, one thousand seven hundred and four years. Aberdeen: printed for the relict of Iohn Forbes, printer to the town, [1704.]
  • A list of dues exacted for the maintenance of the harbour. Previously unrecorded.
• COUNCIL of Trade (Scotland). Act of the Councill [sic] of Trade anent the right making and measuring of linen cloath [sic], and discharging the exportation of lint and linen yarn &c. Aberdeen: by the successors of Iohn Forbes printer to the town, 1706.
  • Previously unrecorded.
• [DUNCAN, Daniel]. [La chymie naturelle. Latin] Chymiae naturalis specimen, quo planè patet nullum in chymicis officinis processum fieri. Hagæ, 1707.
• ANSWERS for John Hendry cordiner, Burgess of Edinburgh, to the petition given in by John Glassels merchant in London, and Henry Hawthorn his factor. [Edinburgh, 1711.]
  • Legal dispute about the estate of Thomas Glassels, who died during the ill-fated Darien Scheme.
• INVENTARY [sic] of houshold [sic]-furniture books, pictures, drawings, and curious prints, &c. To be sold by auction at the House of Fetternier, on Tuesday October 12th. [Scotland, 1742].
  • Previously unrecorded.
• CHURCH of Scotland - General Assembly. At Edinburgh, the 19th day of May, 1744 years, ante meridiem, sess. 11. [Edinburgh, 1744].
  • A resolution condemning smuggling and quoting two previous resolutions on that matter. Previously unrecorded.
• RESOLUTION of the Justices of Peace, Commissioners of Supply, freeholders and heritors of the county of Aberdeen, met at Aberdeen, the twenty second day of June, one thousand, seven hundred and forty four years. [Aberdeen, 1744].
  • A local proclamation prohibiting illegal smuggling which also attempted to protect domestic industries by discouraging the use of foreign commodities. Previously unrecorded.
• GÖTTINGISCHE philosophie bibliothek worin Nachrichten von den neuesten Schriften der heutigen Weltweisen mitgetheilet werden. Band. 1, [nos.] 1-6. Hannover, 1749.
  • Edited by Christian Ernst von Windheim. Includes a very early German review of David Hume's Philosophical Essays concerning Human Understanding, the first work by Hume to be widely recognised in Germany.
• A CHOICE collection of songs to be sung by free-masons: some of which were never before published. Glasgow, 1755.
  • Previously unrecorded.
• COUNTESS of Huntingdon's Connexion. The collection of hymns sung in the Countess of Huntingdon's chapels in Sussex. Edinburgh: printed by A. Donaldson, for William Balcombe, Angmoring, Sussex, [between 1765 and 1784].
• BORTHWICK, William. Remarks on British antiquities. Edinburgh: printed for William Gordon, 1776.
  • The author's own copy, with the manuscript of the original printer's estimate tipped in.
• TENENT, William. Poems full of gospel-marrow and sweet invitations to heaven's happiness. Greenock: printed and sold by W. M'Alpine, 1778.
  • Previously unrecorded.
• [CLUNY, Alexander]. [The American traveller. French] Le voyageur américain, ou Observations sur l'etat actuel, la culture, le commerce des colonies Britanniques en Amérique ... Augmenté d'un Précis sur l'Amerique septentrionale & la Republique des Treize-États-Unis par M. Jh. M... A Amsterdam, 1783.
  • Translated into French by Joseph Mandrillon, who also added a section about the newly constituted United States.
• SMITH, Samuel Stanhope. An essay on the causes of the variety of complexion and figure in the human species. London, 1789.
  • Written in reply to Sketches of the history of man by Henry Home, Lord Kames.
• NICHOLSON, Peter. The carpenter's new guide: being a complete book of lines for carpentry and joinery. The second edition. London, 1793.
  • Early edition of a definitive handbook on carpentry by Peter Nicholson, a native of East Lothian.
• ROBERTSON, William. Dr. Robertson's History of America: abridged. London, 1795.
  • A very rare copy of the only known abridged version of Robertson's History of America to be published in the 18th century.
• SCHILLER, Johann Christoph Friedrich von. Don Karlos Infant von Spanien. Leipzig, 1804.
  • A presentation copy from Thomas Carlyle to his future wife, Jane Baillie Welsh, in 1821.
• [IRELAND, William Henry]. Effusions of love from Chatelar to Mary, Queen of Scotland. [Second edition.] London, 1808.
  • In a green morocco binding with gold tooling.
• KITTLE, Samuel. A concise history of the colony and natives of New South Wales. Edinburgh, [1814].
• MACKENZIE, George Steuart, Sir. [Travels in the island of Iceland during the summer of the year MDCCCX. German] Reise durch die Insel Island im Sommer 1810. Weimar, 1815.
  • Earliest German translation of this work.
• [LAMB, Caroline, Lady]. Gordon: a tale. A poetical review of Don Juan. London, 1821.
  • A critical parody of Lord Byron's Don Juan.
• URIEL a poetical address to the Right Honourable Lord Byron, written on the continent: with notes, containing strictures on the spirit of infidelity maintained in his works. London, 1822.
• CRICHTON, James. Iacobi Critonii Scoti Ad amplissimum ac reverendiss[i]mum virum Gasparem Vicecomitem, ... gratulatio superiorum consensu. [Bristol?, 1823?]
  • A facsimile reprint of the Milan, 1584 edition.
  Bound with:
  • CRICHTON, James. Epicedium illustrissimi et reverendissimi Cardinalis Caroli Boromaei. [Bristol?, 1823?]
    A facsimile reprint of the Milan, 1584 edition.
  And:
  • LOSCHO, Sartorio. Lettera di Sartorio Loscho su la morte della Reina di Scotia. [Bristol?, 1823?]
    A facsimile reprint of the Bergamo, 1587 edition.
• OWEN, Robert. A new view of society: or Essays on the formation of the human character. New York, 1825.
  • First American edition.
• A COLLECTION of twelve unrecorded early 19th-century chapbooks, published in Edinburgh around 1825 including:
  • The BABES in the wood; to which is added, My mother. Edinburgh: published by James Clarke & Co., [ca. 1825].
    GULLIVER'S voyage to Lilliput. Edinburgh: printed for Oliver & Boyd, [ca. 1825].
    The HISTORY and wonderful voyages of Sindbad the sailor. Edinburgh: published by James Clarke & Co., [ca. 1825].
    The HISTORY of Puss in boots: to which is added, The three wishes. Edinburgh: printed for Oliver & Boyd, [ca. 1825].
    The LIFE and wonderful adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Edinburgh: published by James Clarke & Co., [ca. 1825].
• A VOLUME containing nineteen chapbooks, of which eighteen were printed in Greenock by William Scott around 1825. They include:
  • The BONNY lass of Banaphie and The county of Cavin. Greenock: printed by W. Scott, [ca. 1825?].
    The FOUR admirals; to which are added, Albion the pride of the sea, The Arethusa, and Nelson. Greenock: printed by W. Scott, [ca. 1825?].
    PADDY'S rambles from Dublin to London; to which are added, Lawrie O'Broom's rambles from Ireland to Scotland, and Brave Nelson. Greenock: printed by W. Scott, [ca. 1825?].
    SCOTS medley, to which are added, Hamlet, and Madame Fashion's invitation. Greenock: printed by W. Scott, [ca. 1825?].
• CATALOGUE of books in the library of Robert Ferguson of Raith, Esquire. Edinburgh, 1826.
• [FLEMING, John]. Political annals of Lower Canada: being a review of the political and legislative history of that province. Montreal, 1828.
  • A proposal by a Scots-Canadian for union between Lower and Upper Canada in order to promote British immigration and assimilate the French-Canadian population.
• [CHRISTIE, Robert]. Memoirs of the administration of the government of Lower Canada, by the Right Honorable the Earl of Dalhousie, G.C.B. ... from June, 1820 till September, 1828. Quebec, 1829.
• OWEN, Robert Dale. Popular tracts. Nos. 1[-14]. New York, 1830.
  • A series of tracts, notable for their contribution to the matter of free-thought, mainly by Robert Dale Owen, son of Robert Owen of New Lanark, and also by Frances Wright, an early advocate of women's rights.
• A VOLUME containing twelve missionary pamphlets and periodical extracts relating to native Indian religions, philosophy, antiquities and literature, printed at various Indian locations between 1832 and 1861, several by Rev. John Wilson (1804-1875), a Berwickshire-born Indian missionary who distinguished himself as an oriental scholar. They include:
  • WILSON, John, Rev. An exposure of the Hindu religion, in reply to Mora Bhatta Dandekara. Bombay, 1832.
    MITCHELL, J. Murray, Rev. The story of Tukáráma. From the Maráthí-Prákrit. [Bombay, 1849.] (Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, January 1849.)
    STEVENSON, J., Rev. On the Nasik cave-inscriptions. [Bombay, 1853.] (Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, February 1853.)
    WILSON, John, Rev. The six schools of Indian philosophy: an outline of a lecture delivered at the request of th Bombay Dialectic Association. Bombay, 1856.
• ZSCHOKKE, Heinrich. Klassische Stellen der Schweiz. [Karlsruhe, 1834.]
  • Graham Brown Fund.
• DE LA BECHE, Henry T. [Sections of views, illustrative of geological phenomena. French] Coupes et vues pour servir a l'explication des phénomènes géologiques. Paris, 1839.
• [PHILIPPS, Samuel]. Caleb Stukely. 3 vol. Edinburgh and London, 1845.
  • The first book and only full-length novel by the author.
• MACKAY'S Quebec directory, new edition, corrected in ... 1852, containing, first, an alphabetical directory of the citizens generally; second a classified directory. Quebec, [1852].
  • The publisher, Robert Mackay, was born in Sutherland before emigrating to Canada.
• STEWART, John. Le torrent d'Arudy. [Lille, ca. 1852.]
  • A photograph taken in Pau in the French Pyrenees by the Scots-born photographer, John Stewart, and used by the publishers of Souvenirs des Pyrénées (1853)
• A COLLECTION of pamphlets, newspaper and magazine cuttings in three volumes by and relating to people with the surname Mackay both at home and abroad, to places with Mackay connections and to Clan Mackay associations. Includes:
  • MACKAY, Angus. The great gold field: a pedestrian tour through the first discovered gold district of New South Wales. Sydney, 1853.
    STRONK, J. J. Lijkrede op den hoogwelgeboren Heer Barthold Johan Christiaan Baron Mackay. Te Tiel, 1855.
    A funeral oration for Baron Barthold Mackay, Knight of the Order of the Netherlandish Lion and member of a family of the Clan Mackay resident in the Netherlands since the 18th century.
• MACKAY, Donald Jacob. De handhaving van het europeesch gezag en de hervorming van het regtswezen onder het bestuur van den Gouverneur-Generaal Mr. H. W. Daendels over Java en onderhoorigheden (1808-1811). 's Gravenhaage, 1861.
  • A doctoral dissertation on Dutch colonial administration in Java by another member of the Mackay family resident in the Netherlands.
• PERKINS, George J. Mackay. An essay upon the rise, progress, industries, resources, and prospects of the town & district of Mackay. Mackay, 1888.
• MACHINERY of the British & North American Royal Mail steam ship "Arabia" and of the West India Royal Mail steam ship "La Plata" constructed by Robert Napier ... drawn and described by David Kirkaldy. Edinburgh, &c., [ca. 1855].
  • A plate-book with dimensions and illlustrations of two ships built on the River Clyde by the firm of Robert Napier.
• GOLOVNIN, Vasilii Mikhauilovich. Putesheshvie vokrug svîeta na shlîapie "Kamchatka" v 1817, 18, 19. [Voyage around the world in the "Kamchatka".] Sanktpeterburg, 1864.
  • A description of the voyage of the ship Kamchatka around the world, 1817-1819.
• [HENDERSON, James]. Notes of a walk through parts of Hupeh, Honan, Shansi, and Chih-li, in 1871. [Tientsin, China, ca.1871.]
  • Diary of a journey from Hankow to Peking by the author and his Chinese servant/interpreter. The author was James Henderson, a Scots medical missionary.
• [HENDERSON, James]. Notes by the way. During a ramble through Chihli, in March 1874. [Tientsin, 1874.]
  • Diary of a journey from Peking to south-west China. Previously unrecorded.
• VERNE, Jules. Les Indes-noires. Paris, [1877].
  • First illustrated edition of Jules Verne's work, which is set in the Scottish coalfields.
• BLAKE, William. The Book of Thel. [Edmonton: W. Muir, 1884].
  • A facsimile.
• ROTHSCHILD, Alfred Charles de. A description of the works of art forming the collection of Alfred de Rothschild. The photographs by J. Thompson [i.e. James Thomson]. 2 vol. London: Chiswick Press, 1884.
  • A privately commissioned catalogue which includes platinum prints made by John Thomson (1837-1921), the Edinburgh-born photographer.
• BLAKE, William. Songs of experience. [Edmonton: W. Muir, 1885].
  • A facsimile.
• SHANKS & Co. Illustrated catalogue of sanitary appliances. Barrhead, 1893.
  • A handsomely produced trade catalogue.
• PICA, Vittorio. L'arte decorativa all' Esposizione di Torino del 1902. Bergamo, 1903.
  • An important Art Nouveau exhibition with a Scottish section featuring Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
• SHAKESPEARE, William. The Ellen Terry Shakespeare carefully edited and compared with the best texts. 40 vol. Glasgow, 1904.
  • A miniature set of Shakespeare's complete works published by David Bryce and dedicated to the actress, Ellen Terry.
• ADAM, Robert Borthwick. "Printed only for a few friends". Buffalo, N.Y., 1925.
  • Catalogue of part of the library of Robert Borthwick Adam, an American book collector, which was largely formed by Adam's father, a native of Peebles.
• STEVENSON, Robert Louis. [A series of 13 photographic collotypes of Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa and Hawaii issued by Kenneth Alexander.] New York, [ca. 1927.]
  • In a limited edition of 150 copies.
• BERGER, Oscar. Tip und Tap, die zwei Schotten. Berlin, 1933.
  • A set of caricatures concerning the supposed thriftiness of the Scots.
• SMITH, Philip. A book of visual and verbal contemplations selected by Philip Smith. Chippenham: Philip Smith, 1988.
• LEONARDO, da Vinci. Libro di pittura: edizione in facsimile del Codice Urbinate lat. 1270 nella Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana ... a cura di Carlo Pedretti. 2 vol. Firenze, 1995.
  • Includes facsimile volume, text volume with transcriptions and a colophon sheet.
• BROWN, Erlend, &c. Nine days on Foula. Stromness, 1996.
  • A set of nine fine illustrations and verse text by a group of artists based on their visit to Foula. With accompanying booklet.
• A set of finely illustrated children's books by Elizabeth HOBBS privately printed in limited editions. They include:
  • HOBBS, Elizabeth. Major trouble. [Edinburgh, 1995.]
    HOBBS, Elizabeth. Antoine. [Edinburgh], 1996.
    HOBBS, Elizabeth. Soup. [Edinburgh, 1996.]
• WING, Donald Goddard. Wing short-title catalogue, 1641-1700. Alexandria, Va., USA: Chadwyck-Healey, 1996.
  • A catalogue of books published in the British Isles and of English books published elsewhere on CD-ROM with user manual and installation software.
• BRITISH LIBRARY General Catalogue of Printed Books to 1995. Ardrossan: Saztec; and Cambridge (UK), Alexandria (USA): Chadwyck-Healey (distributors), 1997.
  • A catalogue on CD-ROM with user guide and installation software.
• REIMAN, Donald H. The Manuscripts of the Younger Romantics. ... Donald H. Reiman, general editor. 24 vol. New York and London: Garland Publishing, 1985-1997.
  • Facsimile edition, with scholarly contributions, of the manuscripts of Lord Byron, John Keats, Percy Shelley. Part of a projected 30 vol. set.

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