Lot 38
Scots Magazine
Volumes 1-93
Auction: Books & Manuscripts | 01 October 2026 from 10am | Lots 1 to 78
Description
Edinburgh: W. Sands, A. Brymer, A. Murray and J. Cochran [et al.], 1739-1824. First edition, 93 volumes bound in 92 (volumes 79 and 80 bound in one), 8vo (19.5 x 12cm), 19th-century half calf, gilt labels and raised bands to spines, boards rubbed, areas of loss to some heads and/or tails of spines, general discolouration, occasional foxing and areas of dampstaining, a few with modern ink annotations, with approximately 170 engraved plates, maps and plans (of approx. 187), the plates collated in accordance with ‘Directions to Binder’, where present.
A full list of extant plates is available on request. Sold as a periodical, not subject to return (92)
Footnote
First published in 1739, ‘The Scots Magazine’ is claimed to be the world's oldest magazine still in publication today. In 1804 the then owner of ‘The Scots Magazine,’ Edinburgh publisher Archibald Constable, merged it with the ‘Edinburgh Magazine and Literary Miscellany’ to form ‘The Scots magazine and Edinburgh literary miscellany.’ In 1817 the title was relaunched as ‘The Edinburgh magazine, and literary miscellany’ also titled as "a new series of the Scots Magazine," which ran until 1826. Volumes 1-18 of this title were also numbered 80-97, in recognition of the previous iterations of the title. By 1826 sales had declined to such a point that the title was withdrawn. Attempts to revive the name as the New Scots Magazine in 1828 and the Scots Weekly Magazine in 1832 were unsuccessful. The spine numbering of this set has the correct continuous volume numbering 1-93, but from 1818 onwards there are two separately bound volumes for each year and the binder has incorrectly assigned a different year for each volume on the spine label.
Noteworthy content includes: volume 38, pp. 433-436 for 1776, a contemporary printing of the American Declaration of Independence, and p. 457 fold-out Map of the Country round Philadelphia including Part of New Jersey, New York, Staten Island & Long Island; contemporary commentary on the 1745 Jacobite Uprising, volumes 7 and 8, including vol. 7 p. 397 Bonnie Prince Charlie's arrival in Scotland and vol. 8 p. 215-219 an account of the Battle of Culloden, with plan of ‘The order of battle on Culloden moor April 16’.