Rare maps of city find their way to sale

RARE Victorian maps of Edinburgh – as well as hand drawings of the city's first tram routes – are to be included in the world's biggest charity book sale.

The collection was gifted to organisers of the annual Christian Aid fundraiser, being held this weekend at St Andrew's and St George's Church on George Street.

Among the estimated 100,000 books, records, comics and artworks on sale are a first edition print of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, a first edition of Mark Twain's 1881 novel the Prince and the Pauper, and a book of songs by Robert Burns, printed in 1809.

There are signed works by authors such as Alexander McCall Smith, and award-winning Scottish author AL Kennedy has agreed to be patron of this year's event. Organisers hope once again to raise more than £100,000 for the charity through the sale.

The 47 prints of old Edinburgh were originally disposed of by the former regional council in 1975, with little thought about their historic significance.

Fortunately, the unique collection was salvaged by a keen-eyed council official, who recently presented it to Christian Aid.

Included are architectural drawings for the original "refuse destructor" at Powderhall, as well as 1930 plans for Edinburgh's trams and drawings of the city's many vaults and distilleries.

The plans will all be sold individually, and while the organisers were keeping tight-lipped about prices, they expect them to fetch more than £2500 in total.

Retired architect Euan Colam, who is taking care of the drawings for the sale, admitted it was a very rare collection. "It is unusual you would get so many plans like this altogether in one collection, and it is quite a find," he said.

"The skill of the mechanical drawing is excellent, and they are in a really good condition."

The sale will also include a two-volume box set of Edinburgh: World City of Literature, which was part of the city's bid to become the first UNESCO City of Literature.

The extremely rare books, which were presented to delegates at the time of the bid, include submissions from authors such as JK Rowling, and tell the story of the city's literary past and present, as well as giving a vision of the future.

Former Lord Provost Lesley Hinds will present the books to Ms Kennedy later this week, and the book sale will be the first opportunity for a member of the public to purchase the rare set.

Co-ordinator Mary Davidson said: "This year Edinburgh is marking 500 years of the printed word and we wanted to recognise that in this sale.

"The history of literature in Edinburgh is a fine way to do that, and we were also very lucky to have been given these wonderful prints of the old city. Every year we have so many people coming forward with donations, and so many volunteers willing to help out.

"We have become something of an institution in the city now, and we are hoping we can keep getting the tremendous support from the public that helps make the event such a success."

The book sale opens at 10am on Saturday, May 10, and with the exception of Sunday, May 11, runs until Friday, May 16.

• www.standrewsandstgeorges.org.uk
• www.christian-aid.org.uk