BAGPIPES AT THE GATE From the Enchanted Capital of Scotland

Original pen, coloured ink and watercolour on vellum. 28cm x 43cm. Signed in ink to lower right-hand corner. Mounted in cream card frame. In fine condition, bright and unfaded, with a central crease corresponding to the centre fold of the printed illustration. A procession of children approaching the gates of Edinburgh Castle, with the lead child playing the bagpipes to open the gates. "We've to tak' the pipes, and when we get to the Esplanade I've to play them, and we've to march up to the Castle gate and it'll fa' open of it's own accord." A delightful Edinburgh scene with the cobbled streets, Castle Gate and ghosts of pipers of yesteryear. The book describes a trip packed with discoveries, as a party of school children pay a visit to Edinburgh. The story bears the subtitle, "A Tale of Mystery and Adventure. From a story told by a Merchant of Edinburgh" and the title page notes those involved in the books creation, "Retold in words by Isobel K. Steele; Retold in Pictures by Jessie M. King; Noel Fyfe, the merchant." Describing the book biographer, Colin White, notes, "Jessie made the whole book one extended design with drawings weaving in and out of the text. She filled each page with flowers, butterflies, elves, children and the architectural marvels of the city." LITERATURE: The Enchanted Capital of Scotland (Plaid, 1945) pp. 40-41. …