A stickpin which Queen Victoria presented to John Brown’s servants, on the anniversary of his death, went for close to $10,000. If you aren’t familiar with the story of Mr. Brown and the Queen it is a lively one, him being a loyal Scotsman and all. Apparently his memory warmed the cockles of someone’s heart in the present day as well, to fetch this price!

Results of Bonham Auction

A 13th Century long cross penny which was recently unearthed at an excavation site near the birthplace of  Robert Burns in Alloway, Scotland.

David Nelson found the silver coin which was minted in London and bears the head relief of Edward I. Edward Longshanks, so called for his height of 6 ft 2 in.,  was known for crushing those that opposed him. William Wallace of Scotland took him on and kept him from overtaking the country. Wallace  was a great inspiration to Burns, as to all  brave hearts everywhere. David Hopes is the curator of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum which is to be built on the excavation site where the coin was found. The museum is scheduled to open in the Summer of 2010 and since its inception several artifacts have been rediscovered. One of these is the portrait of James Glencairn Burns, Robert’s son; the painting will be part of the museum’s permanent exhibit.

Sort of a six degrees of separation situation wouldn’t you say?

13th Century Penny Excavated

The Bible, which is housed in a velvet lined blue Moroccan box with the words “Burns Bible” lettered in gilt is expected to bring $3,400.

Being offered at  same auction, held at Bonhams annual Scottish sale, is the sponsorship of the manuscript and lyrics of Auld Lang Syne which Burns wrote in 1788. The winner of the sponsorship will help to safeguard the manuscript within the planned Robert Burns Birthplace Museum to be built in Alloway, Scotland. The building will be part of the National Trust for Scotland’s holdings. The sponsorship is expected to fetch a hefty $85,000.

If either of these items are a bit out of your price range you can participate in the campaign to Put On A Pound for Rabbie by donating 1 pound ($1.70) to the museum building fund.

Go to: http://www.worldwidetoasttorobertburns.com/content/view/87/and click on Make a Donation at the bottom of the page.

Do it for Rabbie!

Catherine Brown, a food historian, has found references to haggis in a cookbook of sorts entitled The English Hus-Wife by Gervese Markham which dates from the 1600’s. She asserts that haggis was originally an English dish as the first mention of Scottish haggis she found was 1747.

Of course this is all speculation, those borders saw a lot of crossings and one wonders if good recipes weren’t shared with neighbors then, just as they are now, at “church potlucks” and family gatherings. Robert Burns wrote his poem Address to a Haggis in 1786 in response to the French cuisine that was all the rage in Edinburgh among the upper eschelon of society. The poem sealed the delicacy’s place as a Scottish dish and made it forever a part of the Burn’s supper menu.

James Macsween, of Edinburgh’s famous haggis producer Macsween’s, who has been turning out authentic and award winning haggis for over 50 years put it best, and very succinctly, I believe,when he stated that it will remain a Scottish icon whatever its origin.

He added: ‘Haggis is now renowned as Scotland’s dish largely due to Robert Burns, who made it famous. That’s not to say that, prior to Burns, haggis wasn’t eaten in England, but Scotland has done a better job of looking after it.

‘I didn’t hear of Shakespeare writing a poem about haggis.’

Address to a Haggis