Kelmscott Chaucer

Basilisk Press facsimile of William Morris’s masterpiece ‘The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer’

No. 1 (Orange) of a limited series of 3 bindings by Kate Holland (2020). No. 2 (Lemon) is sold. No.3 (Pomegranate) is available.

Full pierced dark green goatskin over boards with acrylic ink, pen and crayon design, 23c red gold borders, green goatskin doublures with backpared terracotta goatskin onlays, gold tooling, terracotta goatskin joints, dendritic printed paste endpapers, handsewn silk endbands, watercolour and dendritic printed top edge. Full double fraynot board attachment with secondary sewing. Custom made drop back box with rounded leather spine.

This is a rebinding of the magnificent Basilisk Press 1974 facsimile. The design is based on a ‘Tree of Life’ stained glass window by Morris & Co at St. Cybi’s Holyhead. Edward Burne Jones wrote of the book “If we live to finish it, it will be like a pocket cathedral.” All that creates and nurtures life is there.

This volume was a private commission, made up of unbound sheets straight from the Basilisk Press. It is therefore out of series, and without its companion volume.