James SCOTT, BINDER Scotlands opposition to Popish Bill

November 23, 2021

Rare Books, Documents, Photos, and Artwork

Lot 298

James SCOTT, BINDER Scotlands opposition to Popish Bill

Estimate: $400 - $600

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Description

James SCOTT, of Edinburgh (binder). [ANTI-CATHOLIC]. Scotland?s opposition to the Popish Bill.

Offered for sale by Adam Langlands of 'Shadowrock Rare Books' - for more information please contact him via email at adamlanglands@gmail.com

James SCOTT, of Edinburgh (binder). - David PATERSON (printer).

Scotland’s opposition to the Popish Bill. A Collection of all the Declarations and Resolutions, published by the different Counties, Cities, Towns, Parishes, Incorporations, and Societies, throughout Scotland, against a Proposed Repeal of the Statutes, enacted and for ever ratified by the Revolution and Union Parliament, for preventing the Growth of Popery. With an Introduction, giving a short history of the Rise, Progress, and Effects of that National Alarm. And an Appendix, containing a View of the Statutes, and the Repeal, with Remarks, etc.. Edinburgh: Printed by David Paterson, 1780. Octavo (8 1/4 x 5 ins; 209 x 127mm). Pp. [i-]xi[-xii; 1-]306; [i-iv; 307-]310-356. The binding by James Scott of Edinburgh looks to be the same as was on the example sold in 1918 by Sotheby's: “Bound in mottled calf, with elaborate gilt tooling on sides and, back; within an Etruscan border, two Corinthian columns supporting a graceful vase, from which is springing leaves and flowers, joined to an ornamental arch, from which is suspended musical instruments; at the base is Britannia [actually looks more like Athena - her shield has the Medusa's head on it] on gold scroll; gauffered edges, marbled and gold, with impressed thistle [to the fore-edge]”, marbled endpapers. (Worn, rebacked, small section of original spine remaining, corners rounded, some surface damage). Provenance: unidentified armorial bookplate; William Macmath (1844-1922, inscribed and dated by him 10 March 1905).

Scott of Edinburgh was one of the most innovative binders working in Scotland at the time. The ruinous condition of this binding somehow adds to the over-arching rococco theme of grand classical decay. "As well as being a notable revolutionary in the application of neo-classical design to bindings, Scott was also a militant Protestant, and bound several copies of this intolerant work." (Sotheby's) - these seem to have fallen into two groups. The first and most prestigious were in green morocco; for the second group the present design on mottled calf, was used.

The present work was William Macmath’s copy: he was a scholar and collector of Scottish ballad texts. He transcribed numerous Scottish ballad manuscripts and sent the copies to Harvard professor, Francis James Child. Child used these texts in his research for his English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898). After Child's death in 1898, Harvard professor George Lyman Kittredge continued the research.

ESTC T017529; see also Hobson. English Bindings in the Library of J. R. Abbey, pp. 132-4

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