The library at Tyninghame

Tyninghame House is known as having had some of the grandest and most sumptuously decorated interiors in Scotland. Altered by the architect William Burn in 1829, the estate had been owned by the Earls of Haddington since 1628. Following the sale, the house was divided into apartments by Kit Martin, which were then sold. When the 12th Earl Haddington died in 1986, the contents, including a fine collection of early portraits, silver, tapestries and ceramics were sold at auction. The contents of the library, as depicted in the present lot, were purchased by the National Library of Scotland. The collection included 345 volumes that had belonged to King James VI's trusted adviser, Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington (1563-1637).