A big hand for Rebus author as his capital contribution is set in stone

HIS novels have immortalised Edinburgh's dingy drinking dives and council estates and celebrated its historic landmarks – but now it is the city's turn to record a little bit of Ian Rankin for posterity.

The author of the Inspector Rebus series has had his handprints sculpted into a piece of Caithness stone which sits in the courtyard of the City Chambers on the Royal Mile.

The imprint acknowledges Rankin's status as the inaugural winner of the Edinburgh Award, an accolade set up to acknowledge who citizens see as the city's leading ambassador.

It was unveiled yesterday to tie in with the launch of this year's quest for nominations, and the council plans to give subsequent winners the same treatment.

The sculpture is an injection of modernity in a courtyard steeped in history. The statue in the courtyard's centre, of Alexander and Bucephalus, dates back to 1832.

Rankin said: "Edinburgh is full of monuments to the past. It would be nice if this was paving the way to monuments to people that are still around."

He said that winning the award had brought him into contact with other nominees from last year, most of whom were not household names but whose selfless work has had a huge impact on the city.

"I hope it's not just writers like me who get it, but folk who are setting up children's creches in areas that need childcare."

He added: "I think the councilors have done (the handprints] as a wee joke as they get to walk all over me.

"Rebus has been walking over them with impunity for 20 years."

The literary series about the hard- bitten, dishevelled detective has been translated across the world and adapted for television, with first John Hannah and then Ken Stott taking on the role of John Rebus.

The sculpture was designed by Nicolas Boyes Stone Conservation. Nicolas Boyes, director of the firm, said: "The handprints are not something we've done before and I think it's really successful. The Caithness stone has taken the impression really well."

The unveiling ceremony was attended by George Grubb, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. He said: "It's fantastic. It's a great award for Ian, but a great award for the city as well.

"He's a very worthwhile recipient and we look forward to looking at the nominations for this year."

Mr Grubb added: "(The award] is very open. There are lots of people in Edinburgh who are really worthy of it, but it's got to be someone who's out there being an ambassador and is very high-profile for the city.

"Edinburgh is inspirational, with not only the physical characteristics of a vibrant, live city, but it's full of characters.

"All these people have shaped Edinburgh and made it what it is today."

The award was set up by Edinburgh city council to "recognise an individual's achievements and contribution to Edinburgh".

Rankin said that winning the award had been "the icing on the cake of Rebus's 20th anniversary year", particularly because as he knew the series was ending.

He added: "It's a community award. It was voted for by members of the public and it is fantastic to get a thumbs-up from them."

HOW IAN RANKIN MADE SUCH A BIG IMPRESSION

THE prints which now adorn the ground of Edinburgh City Chambers quadrangle are almost an exact replica of Ian Rankin's hands. But the process which got them there was not as simple as the author plunging his hands into wet cement.

The Caithness stone slab which is used is the original one from the courtyard, and it took a talented sculptor to transfer the image into it.

Rankin visited the studio of Nicolas Boyes Stone Conservation in Morningside. He pressed his palms into a series of pots containing clay with varying degrees of solidity to record the lines and details on his skin. The impressions were passed to sculptor Greig Sivills, who used traditional techniques to translate them to the slab.

Company director Nicolas Boyes said: "The proof of the pudding is how well his hands fit."

He added that the detail was so great that a fortune teller would be able to predict Rankin's longevity from the slab. Perhaps Rebus, played on TV by Ken Stott, left, may find a use for his creator's prints as well.