Bibliotheca Burnsiana - Life and Works of Burns - 1866: Title Pages and Imprints of the Various Editions in the Private Library of James McKie, Kilmarnock, Prior to Date 1866

The Bibliotheca Burnsiana - Life and Works of Burns: Title Pages and Imprints of the Various Editions in the Private Library of James McKie, Kilmarnock, Prior to Date 1866 was published in 1866 by James McKie, Printer in Kilmarnock, UK. The booklet, which measures approximately 5 ¼ x 8 inches, contains 43 pages and is bound in a hard cover. A photograph of Robert Burns is included as a frontispiece. The listing of Burnsiana in McKie's library appears on pages 3 to 33 and are numbered consecutively from I to CCLXXXVII (1 to 287). An Addenda follows with a listing of Editions of Burns which are not in McKie's private library. That listing contains items listed consecutively from I to CXCI (1 to 191). On the inside back cover is handwritten ownership statement of DeWitt Miller, a previous owner of this item.

The pictures accompanying this description show the front cover, a two-page spread showing the frontispiece and title page, and a typical two-page spread of the text. The pages are tanned, but the text is clear and easily read. The covers are worn on the corners, and the taped spine appears to be a recent addition. The overall condition of the booklet is good/very good.

James McKie or James M'Kie (1816 - 1891) was an apprentice of Hugh Crawford, John Wilson's successor at the Kilmarnock Cross printing business. In 1867 McKie published the first facsimile edition of the 1786 'Kilmarnock Edition' or Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect as well as various bibliographies, reprints, special editions, limited editions, etc. of Robert Burns's and other works for the Scottish, British, British Empire or North American markets. He became an avid collector of Burnsiana and put together the largest collection of published works in the world at the time, that was eventually purchased by the local Kilmarnock Corporation and housed in the Kay Park Burns Museum. [Wikipedia]

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a light Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest. [Wikipedia]

Dewitt Miller (March 1, 1857 – July 29, 1911) was an educator, librarian, journalist, minister, orator, and book collector. Miller was an obsessive book collector, which began in his youth. [Wikipedia]