Dr Ann Carswell

Dr Ann Carswell (1940-2019) was resident in Edinburgh from the late 1960s, originally from America, educated at Cornell and Harvard.  Dr Carswell worked at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh as a child psychologist.  During her time in Edinburgh she was a passionate visitor to local auction houses, collecting principally dolls, tribal art and textiles.  After her death in 2019, we were delighted to hold a sale of her collection, including two important early American maps, which after an exciting bidding war ultimately sold, one returning to America, specifically Williamsburg, the other destined for a London dealer.

John Mitchell cartographer, A map of the British and French Dominions in North America...Published by the author, Febry 13th 1755.  Believed to be the First Edition, Third State, engraved wall map on eight sheets, backed on fine linen sold for £121,600* with a second map in her collection, Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson, cartographers, A Map of the Inhabited Part of Virginia, Containing the whole Province of Maryland with Part of Pennsilvania, New Jersey and North Carolina.  Drawn by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson in 1751.  Believed to be the rare First Edition, First State, selling for a hammer price of £66,000.