Autograph Letter Signed from W. B. Dunlop to 'Mr. Hodge' [Chairman of Sotheby's Tom Hodge], discussing the acquisition for the Burns Cottage Museum of a copy of the Kilmarnock Edition of Robert Burns, with reference to prices fetched by other copies.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Dunlop begins by informing Hodge that his cousin William Hamilton Dunlop of Downside, Ayrshire, 'has purchased as one of the Burns Monument Trustees the "Veitch" of Paisley copy of the Kilmarnock Burns for £1000'. He describes the book as 'the most perfect copy known uncut & with both blue paper covers much better than the Lamb copy.' Dunlop is 'glad it has been secured for the Burns Cottage Museum at Alloway & is not going across the fish pond [i.e. to the United States].' Dunlop's cousin was the underbidder 'through [the Edinburgh bookseller] Mr William Brown for my <?> copy at your sale of his Library & when he missed that, as they have endless money, I told him he ought to buy the best copy known when it was available'. Dunlop states that Veitch 'picked it up for £10 in the "sixties." It came from Arniston (Dundas) & the history is I believe well authenticated.' The London bookseller Sabin 'wanted £750 for the Lamb copy when my cousin went to see it but I think he is better with this one'. He concludes by stating that 'Veitch asked £1000 & wd. not budge a shilling'. In a postscript he asks Hodge to send catalogues of scientific books: 'I have a considerable scientific Library of my own, & such books interest me. At present I am on the look out for a well bound complete set of "Nature."'