Title page from The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the Kelmscott Press, 1896. Rare Book Collection, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library.
On June 26th, 2021, The William Morris Society in the United States is celebrating International Kelmscott Press Day, commemorating the 130th anniversary of the founding of the Kelmscott Press and the 125th anniversary of the publication of the Press’s edition of The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer.
Libraries, museums, and other institutions that own the Kelmscott Chaucer or other Kelmscott titles and related materials are participating by creating digital and in-person displays, events, and publications.
You can view the brief schedule below. More details are available on our International Kelmscott Press Day page.
Many institutions and enthusiasts are also tweeting about the event. You can follow along on our Twitter and join in by using the hashtag #KelmscottPressDay
Digital Events
June 23rd
“‘The Whole Scheme of the Book’: William Morris and the Kelmscott Press” MacMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. More Information
June 26th
“Medieval Manuscripts and Private Presses: William Morris and his Followers as Collectors and Creators of Books c. 1891-1914” The William Morris Society UK and Institute for English Studies, University of London, London, UK. More information
“International Kelmscott Day” Arizona State University Library Distinctive Collections, Tuscon, AZ, USA. More information
June 27th
“Celebrating the Kelmscott Press”, William Morris Society US and Book Club of Washington. More information
In-Person Events
June 25th
“Celebrating the Kelmscott Press”, Collins Library, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA. More information
“International Kelmscott Day” Arizona State University Library Distinctive Collections, Tuscon, AZ, USA. More information
June 26th
“Special Tour: The Kelmscott Chaucer” Gutenberg Museum, Mainz, Germany. More information
“International Kelmscott Press Day Open House” Rollins College Master of Liberal Arts Program, Winter Park, FL. More information
“International Kelmscott Press Day and the Museum of Printing” Museum of Printing, Haverhill, MA, USA. More information
“The Kelmscott Chaucer” Program in the History of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. More information
In-Person Exhibitions
Australia
William Morris and the Kelmscott Press in Adelaide. University of Adelaide Special Collections, Adelaide, SA. June 26th – August 31st. More information
Germany
Our Most Beautiful …: Highlights of English Letterpress Art. Gutenberg Museum, Mainz. May 28th – September 24th. More information
United Kingdom
Kelmscott Chaucer Display. Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton. June – November. More information
The Kelmscott Chaucer. The William Morris Society (UK), Hammersmith, London. June 12th – December 31st. More information
United States
The 125th Anniversary of the Finest Book Ever Printed. Special Collections, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, Buffalo, NY. June 15th – July 15th. More information
A Book with a Claim to Beauty: Marking the 125th Anniversary of the Kelmscott Chaucer. University of Delaware Library, Newark, DE. June 15th – July 15th. More information.
The Kelmscott Press. Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University, Athens, OH. August 22nd – December 10th. More information
Digital Exhibitions
A Book with a Claim to Beauty: Marking the 125th Anniversary of the Kelmscott Chaucer. University of Delaware Library, Newark, DE, USA. View here
A Definite Claim to Beauty: the Kelmscott Press and the Aesthetics of the Book. The Book Club of California, San Francisco, CA. View here
‘The Ideal Book’: William Morris and the Kelmscott Press. The William Morris Society (UK), London, UK. View here
Kelmscott Press and Victorian Medievalism. Arizona State University Library Distinctive Collections, Tuscon, AZ, USA. View here
The Life and Work of William Morris. Archives and Special Collections, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA. View here
“A Marvelous Possession”: T.E. Lawrence’s Kelmscott Chaucer. Queen’s University Library, Kingston, ON, Canada. View here
William Morris and the Kelmscott Press in Adelaide. University of Adelaide Special Collections, Adelaide, SA, Australia. View here
William Morris in Books and Leaves. Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA. View here
Videos
The Kelmscott Chaucer. Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA. View here
The Kelmscott Press at the Newberry Library. The Newberry Library and the Caxton Club, Chicago, IL, USA. View here
‘A nameless city in a distant sea’: William Morris, Arts and Crafts, and the Kelmscott Chaucer. Rare Books and Special Collections, University of British Columbia Library, Vancouver, BC, Canada. View here
William Morris & The Kelmscott Press: Highlights from the University of Iowa Special Collections. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. View here
‘The Most Beautiful of All Printed Books’: William Morris’s Kelmscott Chaucer. Special Collections, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY. View here
The Wightwick Manor Kelmscott Chaucer Display. Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton. View here
‘The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer’: One Copy of the Book in Buenos Aires. Sol Rebora, Buenos Aires, Argentina. View here
Game
“Kelmscott Chaucer Word Search.” Leeds University Library Galleries, Leeds, UK. Play here
Blog Posts and Other Digital Publications
“130 years of the Kelmscott Press.” Blog post. Sarah Morley, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Read here
“Celebrating International Kelmscott Press Day.” Catalogue. Philip J. Pirages Rare Books, McMinnville, OR, USA. Read here
“Celebrating UBC’s Kelmscott Chaucer.” Blog post. Rare Books and Special Collections, University of British Columbia Library, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Read here
“International Kelmscott Press Day.” Blog post. International Printing Museum, Carson, CA, USA. Read here
“International Kelmscott Press Day.” Blog post. Julie Ramwell, John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester, UK. Read here
“Kelmscott Press.” Blog Post. Karen Attar, Senate House Library, University of London, London, UK. Read here
“The long influence of William Morris and the Kelmscott Press.” Blog post. Andrew Honey and Alex Franklin, Bodleian Libraries Centre for the Study of the Book, Oxford, UK. Read here
“William Morris & the book.” Blog post. Liam Sims, Cambridge University Library Special Collections, Cambridge, UK. Read here