Catalogue of the ... library of J. Wyllie Guild ... together with the exhaustive collection of books relating to Mary, queen of Scots ... which will be sold by auction

This catalogue was prepared for the 1888 auction of the extensive library of James Wyllie Guild, a prominent Scottish accountant and bibliophile based in Glasgow. Guild was well-regarded in his time for his dedicated efforts to preserve Scottish history and literature, and his collection was noted for its depth, reflecting the typical Victorian pursuit of amassing rare historical documents and first editions to curate a legacy of intellectual rigor.

The document is particularly prized for its comprehensive section on Mary, Queen of Scots, a subject that fascinated nineteenth-century antiquarians. The catalogue serves as a detailed record of the specific titles, manuscripts, and ephemera Guild collected regarding her life and tragic end. It was designed as a practical instrument for potential buyers to assess the historical value of the items, and its survival provides modern researchers with a clear view of the private collections that helped shape the historiography of the Scottish Renaissance.