Lot 152
2 volumes of engravings and drawings
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photography
Auction: 11 October 2017 at 11:00 BST
Description
together 249 leaves, many with engravings laid-down to both sides, including 8 hand-drawn watercolour costume studies showing a king or religious figures, women in Tudor and Jacobean dress (one of these is torn with loss) and two women in a boat, the engravings comprise: 8 leaves with engraved French medallions, late 17th or early 18th century; 199 portraits of royalty, nobility and notable figures and 49 of religious subjects, mainly 17th century; 17th century vellum (2)
Footnote
Provenance: Bookplates of Robert Graham, 12th of Fintry (1749-1815), with the address: Robert Graham of Fintry, Excise Office, No27 George St., Edinburgh to the rear paste-down endpaper of one volume.
Note: Robert Graham was a Commissioner of the Scottish Board of Excise, the address for the Edinburgh Excise office being found in the rear of one of these volumes. Robert Burns seems to have had a desire to work in the Scottish Excise, and spoke to his doctor on the matter, who in turn spoke with Robert Graham. It was helpful that Robert Burns and Robert Graham had made each others' acquaintance at Blair Atholl the previous year, following Burns's success as a poet. In a letter to a friend in August 1788, Burns mentioned Graham, writing that his hopes of working in the Excise depended on 'Mr Graham of Fintry'. Robert Graham's patronage of Burns did finally provide him with a position of Excise Officer for Dumfries, in 1789, and Burns worked in this capacity until his death.