Lot 21
  • 21

Burns, Robert

Estimate
2,000 - 3,000 GBP
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Description

  • Burns, Robert
  • Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. Edinburgh: Printed for the author, and sold by William Creech, 1787
  • Paper
8vo (226 x 138mm.), SECOND (first Edinburgh) EDITION (with "skinking" at p.263 and "Boxburgh" rather than "Roxburgh" in the list of subscribers), half-title, stipple engraved portrait frontispiece, ORIGINAL BLUE BOARDS, collector's folding green cloth box, rebackedupper hinge split, some rubbing and soiling to boards

Provenance

"Robert Douglas", ownership signature on upper board; Captain Barrington Campbell, presentation and ownership inscription dated 17 July [18]67; Scribner Rare Books, New York; Abel E. Berland, book-label and inscription on rear endpaper (stating purchase date of 26 February 1970); his sale, Christie's New York, 9 October 2001, lot 155

Literature

ESTC T125274

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Although the first edition of Burns' Poems had sold out within a month, delivering a profit of £50 to the author, the publisher John Wilson was unwilling to issue a second edition unless Burns advanced the £27 needed to purchase the paper for a larger run of 1000 copies. As a result, the second edition (including 22 new poems) was published by William Creech in Edinburgh. Most of the 3,000 copies went to the 38 page list of subscribers.