Oliphant Smeaton - Edinburgh and its Story 1904 | First Edition - Richly Illustrated

Richly illustrated first edition of Edinburgh and its Story by the Scottish writer and historian Oliphant Smeaton, published in 1904 by J. M. Dent & Co. in London and The Macmillan Co. in New York.

In this extensive work, Smeaton describes the history and development of Edinburgh, from the early Scottish kings and the Stuarts to the city at the beginning of the 20th century. Historical events are interspersed with descriptions of streets, churches, castles, monuments, and other famous places in and around the Scottish capital.

An important part of this edition is the numerous illustrations by Herbert Railton and J. Ayton Symington. The book contains a coloured frontispiece and 51 further colour plates, supplemented by historical reproductions, tinted illustrations, and images in the text. The colour plates show, among others, Castle Hill, Calton Hill, George Street, North Bridge, and various other cityscapes and locations around Edinburgh.

The book is bound in the original blue publisher's cloth. Both the front cover and the spine are richly decorated in gold with Scottish thistles, coats of arms, architecture, and other motifs referring to Edinburgh. The top edge of the text block is also gilt.

This copy has a sturdy binding and a remarkably well-preserved interior. The colour illustrations are bright and well-preserved. The book runs to page 396 and concludes with an extensive index.

Details:

• Author: Oliphant Smeaton
• Author's full name: William Henry Oliphant Smeaton
• Title: Edinburgh and its Story
• Illustrators: Herbert Railton and J. Ayton Symington
• Publisher: J. M. Dent & Co.
• American publisher: The Macmillan Co.
• Place of publication: London / New York
• Year: 1904
• Edition: first edition
• Language: English
• Extent: xv + 396 pages
• Illustrations: 52 colour plates, 14 reproductions, 20 tinted illustrations, and additional illustrations in the text
• Subject: history and topography of Edinburgh
• Binding: original blue publisher's cloth
• Decoration: extensive gilt decoration on front cover and spine
• Edges: gilt top edge
• Other edges: untrimmed
• Origin: United Kingdom
• Period: Edwardian / early 20th century
• Size: 23.7x18cm - 4.8cm thick

Condition:
Good to very good antiquarian condition. The binding is sturdy and the interior is predominantly very neat and clean for its age. The illustrations and colour plates are bright and well-preserved. The original blue cloth binding shows normal signs of wear, with rubbing along the corners and edges and some fraying at the ends of the spine. The extensive gilt decoration on the front cover and spine is well-preserved. The gilt top edge shows normal signs of age. The interior shows some light age-related discoloration and a few small spots. See the photos for a complete picture of the condition.