Toitu curator Sean Brosnahan tells the story of a writing desk that claims a racy past.
''Burnsiana'' is a collective noun that encompasses all sorts of tatt decorated with Robert Burns' image; tea towels, picture plates and so on.
More narrowly, it describes artefacts that are supposed to have a direct connection with the poet himself, or with those in his circle.
The vast majority of the latter consist of faked material, for which there has been a keen market from the moment the poet died in 1797.
Scottish museums are full of items that supposedly belonged to the poet.
In most cases, there is scanty proof to substantiate the connection.
The best examples of Burnsiana appeal because they can be linked to one of the poet's works.
Such is the case with this humble 18th-century writing desk, or slope, in the Toitu collection.
It is purported to have belonged to the Rev William Auld, minister of the parish of Mauchline in Ayrshire and a man who had numerous dealings with Burns in his official capacity.
One notable occasion was when Burns and his pregnant lover, Jean Armour, were summoned to appear before the Mauchline Kirk session for having fornicated in 1786.
Burns was hardly contrite and was in any case already a repeat offender.
Indeed, his 1785 poem The Fornicator seems to rejoice in his carnal sinfulness.
It describes how on a prior occasion, even as he stood with head bowed taking his rebuke from the minister, all Burns could think of was the delights he had experienced with the girl (Elizabeth Paton) at his side:
But my downcast eye by chance did spy
What made my lips to water,
Those limbs so clean where I, between,
Commenc'd a Fornicator.
It is fun to imagine that Reverend Auld wrote out the fornication charges against Burns and Jean Armour on this very desk, even if it's a claim we can never prove.
Tomorrow is Robert Burns' birthday.
