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Victorian Souvenir Sir Walter Scott's Poetical Works with Mauchline Transfer Ware Coverboards

Victorian Souvenir Sir Walter Scott's Poetical Works with Mauchline Transfer Ware Coverboards

Regular price $172.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $172.00 USD
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Published sometime circa 1869-1880 by McLean & Son Publishers, this volume of Scott’s Poetical Works would have been released at the height of the Scottish Highland Craze. In particular, the wooden cover boards are lovely examples of Mauchline ware, a description of which we have taken an excerpt from @marshandmeadow ’s excellent writing.
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Mauchline (pronounced mawk-lin) is a small town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Two of the things Mauchline is most known for are The National Memorial Burns Homes, dedicated to the poet Robert Burns, and the birthplace of the Victorian-era tourist souvenirs known as Mauchline ware. Woodworkers in Mauchline crafted these souvenirs from the late 18th century right up until the 1930s (when a fire destroyed the last remaining factory). A couple hundred different types of items were produced, from sewing implements and snuff boxes to jewelry boxes and bookmarks.
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Tess Goodman, writing for the “Journal of the History of Ideas”, also notes that sometimes “manufacturers of Mauchline ware took lumber from tourist sites to construct these souvenirs.” Furthermore these souvenirs would be captioned indicating the source of their material, “so that purchasers could, quite literally, take home a piece of Scotland.”
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This book is one such example, with both boards being examples of Mauchline transfer ware, using timber from the Athole Plantations, Dunkeld.
This particular piece of Mauchline ware is emblematic of a constellation of factors if you will; the fascination sparked by Sir Walter Scott’s works, the Mauchlin tourism industry associated with Burns, and above all the Highland craze that was revived by Victoria and Albert’s Balmoral purchase in 1952.

Very good antique condition with wear commensurate with age; one split to the back page that is stable but could be restored by a professional. One loose end paper (blank), some wear and tear and light foxing.

Price marked at $250 AUD.

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