High Street, Edinburgh, Antique Panoramic View with the Castle, circa 1850

A panoramic view of Edinburgh, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption below the image reads HIGHSTREET, EDINBURG, SCHOTTLAND., that is, High Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The view looks down from a height over the city. A cluster of castellated buildings with square towers, battlements and turrets fills the left foreground, with a bridge of arches beyond them. On its rock at the upper left stands Edinburgh Castle above the roofs of the old town. A broad street sweeps in from the right foreground, where carriages, riders and people on foot move along it, and continues as a long straight street of terraced buildings into the distance, toward a domed building, a spire and a tall column. Hills close the horizon, and a rocky outcrop with bushes rises at the right edge.

No artist or engraver is named on the plate. The imprint at lower left reads Aus der Kunstanstalt d. Bibliogr. Inst. zu Hildbh. (from the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen), and at lower right Eigenthum der Verleger (property of the publishers).

The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. Meyer's Universum was a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. Edinburgh Castle stands on a volcanic rock above the old town, at the head of the street known as the Royal Mile.

Loss or wear at the bottom left and top right corners. A deeper irregularity along the right edge. Even age toning. Handling soiling along the top edge. A few small foxing spots in the margin.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.