A patron, who’d rather remain anonymous, has donated a fantastic item to Random Scottish History.
It’s a Mauchline Ware photo album full of what seem to be 19th century photos of, what I take to be, the original owner’s family as well as scenes from around Glasgow, Edinburgh & other Scottish towns. There are a few that look like they’re maybe Indian architecture. I’m certain one is of the Taj Mahal. The photos are stuck on backings with descriptions but they’re pretty difficult to get to being usually behind the frame of the pictures. I also haven’t been able to remove any for a better look although they move about in their positions. Our favourites here are the lass who’s all dolled up in an excellent tartan dress with the feather in her hair, 35 scans down, and that below it of the dapper young chap out with the children on the beach.
We were very excited when it arrived and set it up for some immediate photos which were uploaded to social media. A few are included at the top of this series. I wanted to be able to give an idea of its shape and the gold edging, which you don’t get from a scan.
As per the information provided by the seller, this particular book is probably late 19th century with a satin birch wood front and back cover. On the front is markerd; “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon.”
This item goes with two other Mauchline Ware, much smaller, publications; Walter Scott’s ‘Marmion’ (undated with an inscription bearing the year 1890) and A. H. Miller’s ‘Story of Queen Mary’ (also undated with an inscription bearing the year 1900).
Mauchline Ware was something invented for the souvenir market in Mauchline, East Ayrshire, in the mid 19th century until the start of the 20th. From what I can find it seems to be mainly sycamore wood that’s used, and although I tend to be book-focused there are quite a variety of boxes and many other items of use made in this way.
The pictures on the front of the Album are; top left – Burns’ Cottage, top right – Alloway Kirk, bottom left – The Braes of Ballochmyle, and bottom right – Culzean.
On ‘Marmion’ is Abbotsford and for ‘Story of Queen Mary’ is Stirling Castle from the Back Walk.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon“, Containing 49 Photos, Outside Aspects.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Front Cover, Spine, and Back Cover with Clasp.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Index and Sir Walter Scott’s Monument, Edinburgh.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Glasgow Bridge and Abbey of Holyrood House.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Entrance Front of Glasgow University and the Old Bridge of Garry, Killiecrankie.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Abbotsford from the River and Dryburgh Abbey, Tomb of Sir Walter Scott.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Melrose Abbey, the East Window and Melrose Abbey from the South East.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Melrose Abbey, the North Transept.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Princes Street, Edinburgh, Looking West.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Loch Katrine.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Auld Brig o’ Doon, Tam O’ Shanter Fled when Pursued by Witches from Alloway Kirk.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Dumbarton Castle.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Glasgow Cathedral from the South West.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Broomielaw, Glasgow, with Paddle Steamers.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Edinburgh from the Calton Hill.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Ardrishaig, Loch Gilp.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Carrick Castle, Loch Goil.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Hunter’s Quay (Strone in Distance).
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Loch Goilhead, Loch Goil.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Taj Mahal.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Infant and Young Woman.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Curling Match – For more on the Scottish, then “as yet little known in the south”, pastime of curling see the January chapter from ‘Book of Days‘.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Head of the Family.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Boy and Girl.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Couple of Young Boys.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Young boy and Older Woman.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Couple of Young Women.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Young Gent with Two Young Boys, a Young Girl, and a Dog on the Shore.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown (Looks very like Loch Lomond).
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Unknown.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Infant.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Carthorse and Dog – This picture would be perfect as an illustration within Rab and His Friends.
Mauchline Ware Photo Album (Late 19th Century), “Made of Wood Grown on the Banks of the Doon”, Containing 49 Photos, Young Child and Dog.
