Stool from William Smellie's printing office, used by Robert Burns during the early months of 1787 while he was correcting proofs of the Edinburgh Edition of his Poems.
William Smellie's son, Alexander, stated in 'Memoirs of the life, writings and correspondence of William Smellie' published in 1811 that 'There was a particular stool in the office which Burns uniformly occupied while correcting his proof-sheets; as he would not sit on any other, it always bore the name of Burns's stool. In 1844 it was still in the office, and in the same situation where it was when Burns sat on it.'
Made of oakwood, the stool has a circular seat, and three legs with stretchers screwed through.
