How to identify a first printing
- Hand-press letterpress limited editions (1891–1898), each with a printed colophon stating the limitation (paper copies plus a small number on VELLUM)
- Morris's proprietary types — Golden, Troy, and Chaucer types — plus woodcut borders/initials and the Kelmscott device; on handmade Batchelor paper or vellum
- Vellum copies are a distinct, far smaller and more valuable sub-state stated in the colophon
- No number line; identify via the colophon, the Morris types, and the press device. Beware later facsimiles/reprints of Kelmscott titles
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1891 by William Morris (Hammersmith, London); launched the modern private-press movement
- The 'Kelmscott Chaucer' (1896, 425 on paper + 13 on vellum, with Burne-Jones woodcuts) is the supreme private-press book
- Vellum vs. paper is the principal state distinction and a huge value driver
- Standard reference: William S. Peterson, 'A Bibliography of the Kelmscott Press'
Imprints
First editions also appear under: William Morris (founder). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Kelmscott Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Hand-press letterpress limited editions (1891–1898), each with a printed colophon stating the limitation (paper copies plus a small number on VELLUM) Morris's proprietary types — Golden, Troy, and Chaucer types — plus woodcut borders/initials and the Kelmscott device; on handmade Batchelor paper or vellum
Does Kelmscott Press use a number line?
Morris's proprietary types — Golden, Troy, and Chaucer types — plus woodcut borders/initials and the Kelmscott device; on handmade Batchelor paper or vellum
Is a book-club edition a Kelmscott Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1891 by William Morris (Hammersmith, London); launched the modern private-press movement
What era does this cover?
This covers Kelmscott Press (1891–1898). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.