William Skinner Rentoul (1812-1898)

“W.S. [Rentoul]. An odd-looking character, a Scotchman by birth, and a good type of the old curiosity monger. He is lean and lanky in personal appearance, and always very frowsy-looking about the head. He has a fine collection of old Presbyterian bo…

“W.S. [Rentoul]. An odd-looking character, a Scotchman by birth, and a good type of the old curiosity monger. He is lean and lanky in personal appearance, and always very frowsy-looking about the head. He has a fine collection of old Presbyterian books, and is located in the second story on Sixth street above Market. I understand he came here from Pittsburgh. He has been in this city selling old Presbyterian books for over thirty years, but is known only by that class of book-buyers. He is of the old blue-stocking type, which is now becoming rare. I presume that from his long experience he know every book of note in the literature he sells, from John Knox to the Old Covenanters of to-day. He is known to few collectors of books, as he deals only in those mentioned.” — W. Brotherhead, Forty Years Among the Old Booksellers of Philadelphia, With Bibliographical Remarks (1891), pp. 57-58

Rentoul’s Library of Standard Bible Expositions includes: 1. Ralph Wardlaw, Lectures: Expository and Practical, on the Book of Ecclesiastes (1868) 2. Alexander Moody Stuart, The Song of Songs: An Exposition of the Song of Solomon (1869) 3. George La…

Rentoul’s Library of Standard Bible Expositions includes:
1. Ralph Wardlaw, Lectures: Expository and Practical, on the Book of Ecclesiastes (1868)
2. Alexander Moody Stuart, The Song of Songs: An Exposition of the Song of Solomon (1869)
3. George Lawson, Practical Expositions of the Whole Books of Ruth and Esther (1870)

It is known that W.S. Rentoul, as a book-seller, sold editions of The True Psalmody. This 1861 edition appears to contain his handwritten notes.

It is known that W.S. Rentoul, as a book-seller, sold editions of The True Psalmody. This 1861 edition appears to contain his handwritten notes.

This 2-part article appeared in the April and May 1863 issues of The Evangelical Repository and United Presbyterian Review.

This 2-part article appeared in the April and May 1863 issues of The Evangelical Repository and United Presbyterian Review.

This metrical edition of the Song of Solomon is appended to A. Moody’s Stuart’s Exposition of the same.

This metrical edition of the Song of Solomon is appended to A. Moody’s Stuart’s Exposition of the same.