“MEMORY OF A FEW CROWDED INCIDENTS OF THE PAST”: LIMITED FIRST EDITION OF MAXWELL’S HISTORY OF THE TWEED VALLEY, WITH 20 LANDSCAPES BY DAVID CAMERON

MAXWELL, Herbert. The Story of The Tweed. London: James Nisbet, 1905. Large, thick folio, later half green morocco gilt, raised bands, green cloth boards, top edge gilt, uncut. $1500.

Limited first edition of Maxwell’s history of The Tweed— the lore of the river and the prospects for the fisherman— number 186 of only 375 copies, handsomely illustrated with title vignette and 20 full-page brown-tone photogravures by Scots landscape painter David Young Cameron.

Herbert Maxwell, “the most prominent of Scottish country gentlemen” (DNB), wrote on natural and local history and sport, particularly fishing. Maxwell has reserved the last chapter of his history of the Tweed Valley for his own great hobby, “Tweedside Angling.” The illustrator, David Cameron, devoted his art almost entirely to the Scottish landscape and architecture. These 20 “superbly atmospheric watercolors” (Fleming Collection), here faithfully reproduced by photogravure, “are not so much statements compelled by passion, as the result of quiet contemplation and a measured love” (Guichard, British Etchers, 32).

A splendid production in fine condition.