The Weigh House. Taken Down. 1822.

This original antique steel engraving depicts The Weigh House, Edinburgh — a historic civic building that stood at the heart of the Old Town before its demolition in 1822.

Drawn by Sir Daniel Wilson from a sketch by D. Somerville and engraved by T. Steuart for his landmark workMemorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, published in 1848, this print is a rare survival of one of Edinburgh’s most important lost civic buildings.

The Weigh House — or Butter Tron as it was also known — served for centuries as the official place for weighing goods traded in the city’s markets, and was a central feature of Edinburgh’s commercial life from the medieval period until its demolition in the early 19th century.

That Wilson drew this from an earlier sketch by D. Somerville — the building having been gone for over two decades by the time the book was published — makes this print an especially significant piece of historical documentation, preserving a building that would otherwise have left almost no visual record.

This is a rare Proof impression, pulled before the main print run and of superior quality and rarity to a standard example. The print is on a thin paper that has been laid onto a thicker backing sheet — a feature seen in a number of proof impressions from this series.

Subscript: Lower Left: D. Wilson from a Sketch by D. Somerville. Lower Right: T. Steuart. Lower Center: Published by Hugh Paton, Adam Square, Edinburgh. Proof.

Author: Sir Daniel Wilson, F. R. S. S. A. (1816–1892)

Publication: Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time. By Daniel Wilson, F. S. S. A. Acting Secretary to the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland.

Volume: 1

Publisher: Hugh Paton / Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.

Place of Publication: Adam Square, Edinburgh / London

Date: 1848

Artist: Sir Daniel Wilson, F. R. S. S. A. (1816–1892) from a sketch by D. Somerville

Engraver: T. Steuart

Page Number: Between pages 194–195

Paper Dimensions: 9 ¼ x 12 inches

Medium: Steel Engraving

Impression: Proof

Language: English

Coloured: Black and white

Condition: The print is in great condition with some wear around the edges and a small black spot on the bottom left corner of the print, as can be seen. The print is on a thin paper that has been adhered to a thicker paper behind it, as can be seen.

Reference: Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, HathiTrust Digital Library