Captain Anstruther, Hunter Macdonald Ballingal, 1897 Private Printing , Perth, Signed and Inscribed

A very scarce, privately published novel, signed and inscribed by the author. We can trace only 8 copies in institutional holdings. 

Captain Anstruther, by Hunter Macdonald Ballingal.

Privately Published and printed by Cowan and Co. Limited, Perth (Scotland) in 1897 (although the book is also dated to 1895, presumably when it was written. There is a frontispiece image of the author and she has also written a presentation inscription dated to 1898 on the first free endpaper. A preliminary page notes that Hunter Macdonald Ballingal was born at Perth, Scotland, July 6, 1877 and she married Captain C.C. Reid of the 4th Sikhs, April 15, 1896, who later died at Dera-Ismail-Khan, Punjab, India on January 9, 1897. She presumably then remarried, as the presentation inscription is from Mr and Mrs Ballingal in 1898.

A cream cloth hardback with gilt title and decorative line frame to covers. Covers with some soiling and stains, and lightly bumped. Starting to crack at inner front hinge, but all still soundly bound. Offsetting to free endpapers. 

Overall text is very good - generally bright and clean with occasional scattered spotting. Printed on a good quality stock, with rough cut vertical and lower edges, and gilt to top edge. A Scottish literary rarity.

Text in English.

(4) + Signed, guarded, portrait frontispiece + 137pp.

Weight approximately 866g (unpacked).

Dimensions: Approximately 246mm high x 212mm wide x 22mm deep.