William Morris Collection
SCOPE: William Morris (1834-1896) was a British designer, craftsman, poet, typographer, and socialist reformer. In 1861, he formed the decorating firm Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co. (later renamed Morris & Co.) The Firm was soon joined by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Sir Edward Burne-Jones, and other Pre-Raphaelite painters. The Firm embodied Morris' design philosophy which stood in contrast to the mass productions of the Industrial Revolution. Furniture, wallpaper, carpets, tapestries, and other home furnishings, as well as manufactured decorations such as stained glass, carvings, and metalwork established the Firm's reputation as a center for promoting the Arts & Crafts aesthetic in Great Britain and America.
William Morris was an accomplished writer. Some of his publications include: The Defence of Guenevere, and Other Poems, The Life and Death of Jason, The Earthly Paradise, Love is Enough, News from Nowhere, and Old French Romances. He also became known for his translations of Icelandic sagas. Morris was offered the Chair of Poetry at Oxford University in 1877; he declined.
In 1890, Morris founded the Kelmscott Press, where he left a lasting influence on the history of typography and book design. He used his own designs for the type and ornamental letters, reviving the art of craft printing. Fifty-three works were printed between 1891 and 1898 alone, including editions of the classics as well as Morris' own works.
The William Morris Collection consists of publications of the Kelmscott Press, editions of works by Morris and Morris-related ephemera not issued at the Kelmscott Press, manuscripts, auction and dealers catalogues, and books from Morris' library. The majority of the collection was purchased from John J. Walsdorf in 1985. A small collection of correspondence is part of the Archives and Manuscripts Department. In addition, the library has a comprehensive collection of secondary literature pertaining to Morris, the Kelmscott Press, and the Arts and Crafts Movement. An annotated inventory of the collection is available at the Maryland Room.
- The William Morris Home Page
Presents information about the William Morris Society, as well as materials relating to the life and works of William Morris.
Items in the William Morris Collection are non-circulating. Researchers may view the collection in the Maryland Room on the first floor of Hornbake Library, Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For Saturday usage of this collection, all materials must be reserved by 3:00 p.m. on Friday.
Email the subject area specialist or call (301) 405-9210 for more information.
