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