Scottish Post Office directories

'Post Office Edinburgh and Leith directory' for 1897-1898

Coloured advert showing a man writing with a quill pen

You can find this wonderful example of a coloured advertisement — for printers W H White & Co Ltd, Riverside Press — in the 'Post Office Edinburgh and Leith directory' for 1897-1898.

Riverside Press, based in Edinburgh's St Bernard’s Row and Frederick Street, claimed to be 'one of the first firms to print in colours … and they have kept in the foremost place for quality in this department'.

The image, showing Sir Walter Scott, has a poster-like effect, and with the clear black lines shaping Scott's figure it recalls the works of Henry Toulouse-Lautrec.

At the same time, the text block shows a strong connection to Glasgow's rising Art Nouveau movement.

View this page in Edinburgh and Leith directory, 1897-1898   Right arrow

View the full Edinburgh and Leith directory, 1897-1898   Right arrow

 

Left arrow  More about advertisements in directories