The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer WITH Original Design for an Initial Word 'Now' from the Kelmscott Chaucer
The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer WITH Original Design for an Initial Word 'Now' from the Kelmscott Chaucer
F.S. Ellis
Edward Burne-Jones
Morris, William
1515
[4], [i]-ii, [3], 2-554pp. Later full pigskin by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, raised bands, spine in seven panels, title in gilt to second panel, publisher and date to foot, remaining panels with thick and thin line borders, a central tudor rose with lions above and below and fleur-de-lis to either side, and small flower head corner pieces. Covers with thick and thin line borders, tudor rose corner and side pieces, with repeated lion and flower head tools in broken panels surrounding inner single line frame with fleur-de-lis corner pieces
Spine lightly browned, minor rubbing to extremities, internally bright and clean. Housed in a pigskin backed drop back box
The crowning achievement of Morris's press, famous before it even came off the press, one of four hundred and twenty-five copies printed on 'Perch' paper, in 'Chaucer' and 'Troy' type, in double column, and in red and black. With wood engraved title, borders, and initials by C. E. Keates, W. H. Hooper, and W. Spielmeyer after designs by Morris, and eighty-seven text illustrations by Edward Burne-Jones, redrawn in ink by R. Catterson-Smith and engraved by W. H. Hooper
WITH a single sheet, n.d. but between 1892 and 1895, approximately 180mm x 140mm in size, with the design being approximately 95mm x 85mm in size. Minor smudging and inkspots, design generally quite bright and clean, letter designs to reverse in pencil, with old auction lot number in pencil also to reverse. Original drawing, ink over pencil, and heightened with white. This design appears twice in the Kelmscott Chaucer, FF1v (page 434), and GG3r (page 453). It was previously sold in the Doheny sale (Christies New York, 1989, lot 2335). Similar designs were exhibited in the Pierpont Morgan Library Morris exhibition, 'William Morris and the Art of the Book', 93D
For the book see Franklin, page 201; Peterson A40; Tomkinson, page 117
1896
Very Good
First Edition
RELATED ITEMS
, and GG3r (page 453). It was previously sold in the Doheny sale (Christies New York, 1989, lot 2335). Similar designs were exhibited in the Pierpont Morgan Library Morris exhibition, 'William Morris and the Art of the Book', 93DFor the book see Franklin, page 201; Peterson A40; Tomkinson, page 117){kind=link}