Lot 59
Alexander, Sir James Edward (1803-1885)
Collection of books from his library
Auction: The Library of General Sir James Alexander | Wed 25 February from 10am | Lots 31 to 62
Description
on Scottish history, Stirlingshire, the earldom of Stirling, Cleopatra's Needle, family bibles, and other subjects, all with Alexander's ownership inscription or similar mark of provenance, titles including:
Stirling, William Alexander, Earl of. Recreations with the Muses. London: printed by Tho. Harper, 1637. First edition, folio (27.9 x 18.2cm), 18th-century calf gilt, without blank first and last leaves, engraved portrait of Earl of Stirling mounted on front free endpaper, binding worn, hinges cracking, head and tail of spine missing [ESTC S106640];
Calderwood, David. The True history of the Church of Scotland, from the Beginning of the Reformation, unto the End of the Reigne of King James VI. [Netherlands?: s.n.], 1678. First edition, folio (30.5 x 19cm), contemporary calf, inscription on title ‘Ebenezer Areskine’ (possibly Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754) Scottish minister and founder of the Secession Church), with ink inscription on front pastedown by Alexander noting the discovery of the book at Westerton House and its provenance, minor worm damage to some leaves (without loss of text), some staining and dust soiling, binding worn and scuffed [ESTC R16833];
Bobbin, Tim. The Passions, Humourously [sic] Delineated. London: printed for Edward Orme, 1810. First edition, 4to (26.5 x 20.2cm), contemporary half morocco, with 26 hand-coloured plates and black and white engraved portrait of the author;
[Banks, T.C.]. The Stirling Peerage: Comprising an Account of the Resumption of the Titles by the Present Earl of Stirling. London: printed by J. and C. Adlard, 1826. First edition, 4to (26 x 21cm), with folding plate of the pedigree of the Earls of Stirling, original paper wrappers stab sewn, rare (not recorded in Library Hub Discover);
Alexander, A. [Charles Armistead]. The Fall of Aztalan, and other Poems. Washington: published by W.M. Morrison, 1839. First edition, 8vo (23 x 13.5cm), contemporary red morocco gilt, presentation copy from author to Alexander, with pencil note by Alexander regarding the poem on rear free endpaper, rare (BL only UK location listed on Library Hub Discover);
Duer, William Alexander. The Life of William Alexander, Earl of Stirling. New York: published for the New Jersey Historical Society, 1847. First edition, 8vo (22.6 x 13.7cm), original publisher's cloth binding, volume II of the ‘Collections of the New Jersey Historical Society,’ with engraved frontispiece portrait and 5 plates of battle plans, presentation copy from author to (a) his son-in-law Henry S. Hoyt (b) then to Alexander, with a loose copy of letter from Alexander to the author from the Government House, Quebec, Canada, dated December 1853, with pencil note on rear free endpaper by Alexander noting that this book was one of the few that survived the Great Fire of Montreal in 1852 which destroyed his house and most of his family's belongings;
[Stirling]. A Description of the Town, Castle, and Adjacent Country around Stirling. Stirling: [s.n.], 1855. First edition, 8vo (16.2 x 10.1 cm), original printed paper boards rebacked with cloth, with map and engraved plates, presentation copy from the (anonymous) author to Alexander's brother, Major John Alexander Henderson, rare (not recorded in Library Hub Discover);
[Lothian, James]. The Banks of the Forth: A Descriptive and Historical Sketch. Alloa: James Lothian, 1862. First edition, 8vo (17.4 x 10.2cm), original cloth gilt and blindstamped, spine sunned, rare (3 copies on Library Hub Discover);
and 19 others (31)
Provenance
THE LIBRARY OF GENERAL SIR JAMES EDWARD ALEXANDER (1803-1885)