A Sammelband of ‘Scotch Stories’, by James Smith. Author inscribed Presentation Copy with Manuscript Verse, 1875

An attractive and uncommon sammelband of four works of Scottish humour, dialect stories and verse by James Smith, published by John Menzies & Co. in 1875. Written in the lively Scots vernacular and intended in part for public recital, the collection brings together humorous anecdotes, character sketches and dialogues reflecting nineteenth-century Scottish popular culture and storytelling traditions. Of particular interest is the author's personal presentation to James Wilkie, with two manuscript inscriptions, including a signed and dated dedication and four lines of original handwritten Scots verse. Handsomely bound in gilt-decorated green leather with all edges gilt, this is a particularly appealing association copy of Smith's popular Scottish writings.

This interesting volume is a sammelband of works by James Smith and comprises:

Humorous Scotch Stories, &c. Adapted for Recital. Tenth edition; 

Jenny Blair’s Maunderings (Adapted for Recital). Illustrated by William Ballingall. Fourth edition; 

Habbie and Madge; A Series of Scottish Dialogues. Third Edition; 

Peggy Pinkerton’s Recollections And Other Stories. Second edition. 

All published by John Menzies & Co., Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1875.

A scarce inscribed copy of this work by the author. A presentation copy to a ‘James Wilkie’, inscribed to the first free endpapers as being “with the author’s kind regards” and on the following blank, a fuller inscription to the same recipient and signed with the author’s name, and dated to 1875. He also provides four lines of manuscript Scots verse in the author's hand, apparently alluding to his character Tibbieleerie. We have been unable to identify any published source of these lines:

Only a son o' Labour's countless throng;
An Auld Toun Lintie, wi' a hamely sang;
And noo-and-then a screed o' Tibbieleerie,
To lighten dowie hearts, and mak' them cheerie.

A very good green leather hardback with gilt decoration and the spine with raised bands, tooled decoration, and with the title ‘Scotch Stories, J Smith’. Covers with light wear a bumping and spine a little sunned. With gilt dentelles to inner covers. Soundly bound.

Text pages are bright and clean throughout, with gilt edges to text block.

Text in English.

80pp + 80pp + [viii + 9-127pp + (1)] + 96pp.

Dimensions: approximately 166mm high x 111mm wide x 25mm deep.

Weight: approximately 327g (unpacked).