A remarkable collection of music which inspired the late, great Scottish dance icon Sir Jimmy Shand has been sold by his family to the Friends of Wighton group in Dundee.
Accordion legend Sir Jimmy, who died in 2000, aged 92, accumulated the antique books, including hundreds of traditional “auld Scots sangs”, over more than 60 years.
He acquired them in bookshops in between performances and pored over them to find gems he could adapt for the accordion and incorporate into his own act.
In all, 23 historic volumes containing more than 400 tunes dating back to the 18th century went under the hammer at Bonhams’ Scottish Sale in Edinburgh, where they were bought for £1,625.
The musician’s son, also Jimmy, 76, an accomplished accordionist who played alongside his father many times, said he hoped the new owner would “rediscover” the music, as his late father had.
He said: “My father collected these books over many years. Throughout his career he would hear about a book and go off in the car to find it, or if he was playing somewhere and had an afternoon off, he’d walk round the shops looking for one.
“He enjoyed collecting them. Some of the melodies he would adapt for the accordion and his own use.
“He would sit down in his chair and read the music in his head and if he liked something he would play it.
“He’d look for even one old tune out of a book and when he played it, it would sound like a new song.
“This collection is a part of his library. I’ve kept them in a big cupboard but they should be with someone who will enjoy them.”
Speaking on behalf of the Friends of Wighton, Sheena Wellington said: “We are chuffed to bits. At one point during the bidding I got so excited that I bid against myself!
“We felt it was really important that the collection was in Dundee.”