Established 1978, The Old Town Bookshop provides a gentle introduction to the world of Antiquarian books. Come in and browse our stock.
We have been established for over 30 years in the book trade and took over the bookshop 18 years ago in the heart of Edinburgh’s Historic Old Town in fashionable Victoria Street, a medieval part of town dating back to the 16th century.
Download our Summer catalogue.
An Aladdin’s cave of treasures
We have a large selection of books and prints dating from 1650s to the present day.
We exhibit at PBFA Book Fairs in London, Bath, York, Edinburgh, and also a few more provincial towns; see the Book Fairs page for details.
We specialise in Antiquarian and rare books in Art & Architecture, Scottish History & Topographical Studies.
We also have Classic Literature section with Dickens, Shakespeare, Kipling, Scott, R.L.Stevenson, Burns and many more giants of literature, dating from the 1750s to the 20th century.
Books Bought
We buy books in fine condition in Antiquarian, Art , Architecture, Classic Literature, Travel, History, Scottish topography and Travel and we don’t charge 20 per cent commission as many of the auction houses do. We are also interested in buying old prints pre-1850s, or 20th century lithographs by modern movement painters.
Prints & Etchings
We carry a large number of Edinburgh Views from the 1750’s large and small covering most Prospects of Edinburgh’s Old & New town also many other parts of Scotland. We have a small selection of English & World topography including some maps.
The prints vary in size from 20”x 16” to 8”x6”, all original views mainly from the 1820s also some Architectural, Botanical, Agriculture and Shipping prints.
Lithographs, steel & copper engraving and etchings, some of the images have original colouring and some are black & white.
Original Scottish Views
As above a wide selection of views of various parts of Scotland lithographs and copper engravings. Lots of views of old castles and mountains and lochs.
All dating from 1750s to the 1830s picturesque landscapes.
Prices vary from £15 to £180.
Maps
Scottish & World maps from 1650s to 1850s.
We have a selection of over 100 old maps with emphasis being on Scotland. They vary in size from very large (6ftx4ft) to small (8″x10″), some are coloured, and some are black & white.
They are priced between £40 and £300.
Photographs
Original prints from 1880s by James Valentine of Dundee, George Washington Wilson, Francis Frith. The subjects covered are Scottish and English Landscapes, people, shipping, horses, also a small selection of Tin Types. We have a few foreign views, i.e. Naples, Venice, Rome, Nice, Monte Carlo etc.
Prices vary from £10 to £70 depending on their scarcity.
Original Artwork
A small selection of my paintings is on my web site. These include some Scottish and Italian views, also some paintings of Northumberland. Some of the paintings are large oils (4ftx4ft); also a selection of small watercolours and gouaches. I also have small recent selection of lithographs which I have completed at the Printmakers Workshop.
I have been painting for the last 40 years and have mainly concentrated on landscape and architectural subjects. Some of this work will be in 30-year grand tour exhibition which is being held this summer in Dundas Street, 23-29th July 2009.
More of my work is available in my shop, just ask for details.
Publications
We have issued occasional Catalogues since the 1990s on Art & Architecture, rare antiquarian books and prints and literature. If we get an interesting or unusual collection of books or prints we usually issue a catalogue or list.