Old Assembly Rooms, West Bow. 1848.

This original antique steel engraving depicts the Old Assembly Rooms of the West Bow, Edinburgh — one of the most celebrated social venues in the history of the Old Town.

Drawn by Sir Daniel Wilson and engraved by T. Steuart, with a date annotation of 1830, for his landmark work Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, published in 1848.

The Old Assembly Rooms in the West Bow were for many years the principal venue for Edinburgh’s fashionable society gatherings, concerts, and public entertainments — the predecessor of the grander Assembly Rooms later built on George Street in the New Town.

The West Bow itself was one of Edinburgh’s most extraordinary streets, a winding medieval thoroughfare connecting the Lawnmarket to the Grassmarket, steeped in history and atmosphere.

The date annotation of 1830 on the engraving suggests Wilson was working from a sketch made of the building as it stood that year, preserving its appearance at a time when the Old Town was rapidly changing. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication.

Subscript: Lower Left: D. Wilson. Lower Right: T. Steuart. An 1830.

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: 2

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)

Engraver: T. Steuart

Page Number: Between pages 22–23

Paper Dimensions: 9 ⅞ x 12 ¼ inches

Medium: Steel Engraving

Language: English

Coloured: Black and white

Condition: The print is in great condition with some wear across the print and around the edges, including a small crease across the top left corner, as can be seen. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication, as can be seen.

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