This bookplate is from a copy of “Heraldic Exhibition Edinburgh” a Catalogue
compiled by Francis James Grant, then Carrick Pursuivant, 1891.
William Rae MacDonald, FFA, was born on 25 Dec 1843 and died on 15 Aug 1923. He was appointed Carrick Pursuivant on 8 Sep 1898 and then appointed Albany Herald on 19 Nov 1909. He was the author of “Scottish Armorial Seals”, 1904 and was an early
collaborator, until his death in 1923, of John Horne Stevenson, Marchmont Herald, in his own massive three volume opus “Scottish Seals” of 1940′.
The another copy of this bookplate was published in “Scottish Bookplates” by Brian North Lee & Ilay Campbell, in 2006. It was designed by HRG ( George Rolland Halkett, 1855-1919 ) in 1886. The engraver, W. Watson remained elusive to the authors of “Scottish Bookplates”
Arms: Parted per cross Argent and Or, in the first quarter a lion rampant Gules, in the second quarter a dexter hand fess-ways couped Proper holding a cross crosslet fitchée Gules, in the third a galley, oars in saltire Sable, in the fourth, a salmon naiant Proper; over all on a fess of the Third ( Gules ) a cushion of the Second ( Or ).
Source for blazon: “Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland”, see Sir J.B. Paul’s “Ordinary”, 2nd ed. of 1903, entry # 1689 p.113-114 and entry # 3956, p.267 dating to 1878.
The artwork is an intrepretation of George Roland Halkett
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