1919 "The Poetical Works of Robert Burns" Brown Full Leather Prize Binding Book

Written In English

This volume, The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, was published in 1919 by Humphrey Milford at the Oxford University Press. It gathers together the complete body of Robert Burns’s poetry, including his best-known works such as “Tam o’ Shanter,” “To a Mouse,” and “Auld Lang Syne.” Edited by J. Logie Robertson, M.A., the book features notes, glossaries, and a chronological list to help readers understand Burns’s Scottish dialect and the historical setting of his poetry. Burns, who lived from 1759 to 1796, is often celebrated as Scotland’s national bard. He wrote verses that reflect both the everyday lives of rural Scots and the broader human themes of love, nature, and social justice. In the late eighteenth century, as the Scottish Enlightenment was in full swing, Burns’s poetry brought attention to the language and culture of the common people, influencing literary traditions well beyond his homeland.

Burns’s poems were written as a means of preserving and celebrating Scottish identity, folk culture, and vernacular speech at a time when Scotland’s place within Great Britain was undergoing significant shifts. By publishing this collection with scholarly notes, the editor sought to make Burns’s work more accessible to a twentieth-century audience. This came at a period just after the First World War, when there was renewed interest in national cultures and literary heritage. The 1919 edition stands as part of a larger movement to preserve and study the works of iconic writers, ensuring that Burns’s legacy would continue to resonate with modern readers.

The binding of this particular copy is especially notable. Bound in a warm brown leather with gilt tooling, it features a gilt-stamped crest on the front board bearing the motto “DURA NVTRIX VIRVM.” Inside, there is a marbled endpaper or bookplate from Sedbergh School, indicating that this volume was awarded as a prize in 1923. Prize bindings from schools and universities were common in the early twentieth century, serving as a prestigious gift to students for academic achievement. The spine includes gilt embellishments and a black leather title label, showcasing the craftsmanship typical of high-quality prize or presentation bindings from this era.

In summary, The Poetical Works of Robert Burns is a compendium of the famous Scottish poet’s writings, illustrating themes of love, rural life, humor, and social commentary. Edited with notes and a glossary, it highlights Burns’s importance in Scottish cultural history and the broader literary canon. Easily remembered, Robert Burns remains a literary icon whose accessible and heartfelt verses continue to captivate readers, and this 1919 edition underscores his lasting influence.

Condition:

Regarding condition, the volume appears generally well-preserved. The leather boards show minor scuffing but retain a pleasant patina, with the gilt crest and tooling still distinct. The hinges seem solid, suggesting the binding remains secure. Internally, there is some light foxing and toning on the pages—typical of books from this period—but the text is otherwise clean and readable. The prize inscription and bookplate on the front endpapers add a note of provenance and historical charm. Overall, it is an attractive, well-maintained example of an early twentieth-century prize binding, reflecting both the reverence for Robert Burns’s poetry and the pride of Sedbergh School in recognizing academic merit.