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The Private Presses of Hammersmith from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books - By Michael Stillman The Private Presses of Hammersmith. Sophie Schneideman Rare Books has issued a catalogue of the Private Presses in Hammersmith, 1891-1914. Sophie Schneideman has participated in the book trade for two decades, including several years at Maggs Bros. prior to opening her firm. Ms. Schneideman's specialty is the “art of the book,” and one would be hard pressed to come up with any better examples of fine presses than the two from Hammersmith featured here – William Morris' Kelmscott Press, and Thomas J. Cobden-Sanderson's Doves Press. Morris virtually created the modern fine press, and his friend and associate Cobden-Sanderson, continued the art, with his own interpretation, after Morris' death. William Morris was a multi-talented individual, artist, writer, and idealistic proponent of socialism. Late in life, he turned to one of his earliest loves – books. He set up his fine printing press in 1891, and lived but another five years. However, the output of his Kelmscott Press was surprisingly prodigious, and it remains legendary. The press continued to be operated by his associates after his death in 1896, but only to complete projects started or envisioned by Morris and wind down operations. It closed in 1898. One of those who was friendly with Morris, a fellow socialist, and occasionally worked with him was Thomas J. Cobden-Sanderson. One such associated item is offered within this catalogue. Cobden-Sanderson opened the Doves Press in partnership with Emery Walker, yet another socialistic associate of Morris, and began publishing in 1900. While featuring fine printings as did Kelmscott, he was more focused on the artistry serving the text, rather than simply beauty. Cobden-Sanderson and Walker would design the elegant Doves type, which would be used in all of their books. The partnership dissolved in 1909, but Cobden-Sanderson and Doves continued to publish until 1916. However, a few years earlier, Cobden-Sanderson began preparing for the Press' closure in a most unusual way. He looked at the Doves works in a perfectionist sort of way, considering them at “one with the purpose of the Universe.” He could not bear the thought of his type being used in any lesser way. So, in spite of an agreement that the type would go to Walker on his death, Cobden-Sanderson began a slow late-night process of dumping the type, its punches and matrices, off the Hammersmith Bridge, into the Thames. It was the only way he could guarantee the Doves type would never be used in an inappropriate way. There is one more name to mention in relation to this catalogue – Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. Hanson, who died in 1983, was for 35 years the publisher of The Birmingham News. That's Birmingham as in Alabama, not England. Hanson had many interests, but one of his greatest passions was collecting private press books. He did most of his collecting in the 1960s and 1970s, and the books offered in this catalogue come from his Kelmscott and Doves collections. A later catalogue will feature his Ashendene collection. Now, we will take a look at a few items from this catalogue. Item 1 was just the second book to come off the Kelmscott Press. Poems by the Way is a collection of Morris' own poetry. Some went back many decades, although it was filled out with a poem written in the year the book was published – 1891. For many of the poems, this was their first appearance in print. Priced at £2,000 (British pounds, or roughly US $3,046).
The Private Presses of Hammersmith from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books - By Michael Stillman The Kelmscott Reynard. Morris favored the classics, so this next item was a natural. It combined England's first printer with a classic European tale dating back to still earlier times. Item 5 is William Caxton's translation of The History of Reynard the Foxe, the Kelmscott edition published in 1892. Caxton not only translated the work into English, but printed it back in 1481. Reynard is the tale of the conniving, ethically-challenged fox who always manages to work his way out of the jams he creates. £3,800 (US $5,827). Though Morris would seem to be naturally suited for sharing the ideals of the elite of society, he was an ardent socialist. For him, the ideal society was one of equality and sharing of assets. His views are expressed in this 1892 publication he wrote as well as printed: News from Nowhere: or, an Epoch of Rest, being some chapters from a Utopian romance. It is Morris' depiction of a utopian society, a story in which a man awakens from a dream into a society with common ownership of the means of production. It is a world without private property, where people enjoy their work and their lives. The work had already been published in America and England by standard printers, but this is Morris' own Kelmscott edition. £3,250 (US $4,983). A utopian society was certainly a dream of Morris, so a year later he came back with another such book, this one a classic. Item 10 is the Kelmscott edition of Sir Thomas More's Utopia. Originally published in 1516, it is More's look at an idealistic society, one with overtones of Morris' own “Nowhere” (Utopia). This copy includes a prize inscription from an Eton master to his student. Eton had ordered 40 copies of the work to give as prizes, but canceled the order after reading Morris' strongly socialistic introduction. This one must have somehow made its way through. £2,400 (US $3,677). Item 23 is the work Schneideman describes as “Morris's 'magnum opus' and, in scale at the very least, the greatest Private Press book ever to be published.” It is the Kelmscott Chaucer, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, published in 1896. As Schneideman notes, “its beauty and the sheer work which went into its production is staggering.” The work marked the culmination of Morris' printing career, and he died shortly after the book was completed. This is a particularly special copy, one that ties Morris and Kelmscott to Thomas Cobden-Sanderson and his soon to arrive Doves Press. Forty-eight copies of the Kelmscott Chaucer were sent to Cobden-Sanderson at what was then Doves Bindery to be bound in pigskin. Price on request. While the Kelmscott items are offered one at a time, the Doves Press books are offered as a collection. Clarence Hanson put together a complete collection of the 40 books published by Doves between 1900 and 1916. The copies are in exceptional condition. Along with the 40 books that came off the Doves Press, there are another nine ephemeral items. The price for the complete collection is available on request. Sophie Schneideman Rare Books may be reached at 020 8354 7365 or sophie@ssrbooks.com.

The Private Presses of Hammersmith from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books

- By Michael Stillman

The Private Presses of Hammersmith.

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books has issued a catalogue of the Private Presses in Hammersmith, 1891-1914. Sophie Schneideman has participated in the book trade for two decades, including several years at Maggs Bros. prior to opening her firm. Ms. Schneideman's specialty is the “art of the book,” and one would be hard pressed to come up with any better examples of fine presses than the two from Hammersmith featured here – William Morris' Kelmscott Press, and Thomas J. Cobden-Sanderson's Doves Press. Morris virtually created the modern fine press, and his friend and associate Cobden-Sanderson, continued the art, with his own interpretation, after Morris' death.

William Morris was a multi-talented individual, artist, writer, and idealistic proponent of socialism. Late in life, he turned to one of his earliest loves – books. He set up his fine printing press in 1891, and lived but another five years. However, the output of his Kelmscott Press was surprisingly prodigious, and it remains legendary. The press continued to be operated by his associates after his death in 1896, but only to complete projects started or envisioned by Morris and wind down operations. It closed in 1898.

One of those who was friendly with Morris, a fellow socialist, and occasionally worked with him was Thomas J. Cobden-Sanderson. One such associated item is offered within this catalogue. Cobden-Sanderson opened the Doves Press in partnership with Emery Walker, yet another socialistic associate of Morris, and began publishing in 1900. While featuring fine printings as did Kelmscott, he was more focused on the artistry serving the text, rather than simply beauty. Cobden-Sanderson and Walker would design the elegant Doves type, which would be used in all of their books. The partnership dissolved in 1909, but Cobden-Sanderson and Doves continued to publish until 1916. However, a few years earlier, Cobden-Sanderson began preparing for the Press' closure in a most unusual way. He looked at the Doves works in a perfectionist sort of way, considering them at “one with the purpose of the Universe.” He could not bear the thought of his type being used in any lesser way. So, in spite of an agreement that the type would go to Walker on his death, Cobden-Sanderson began a slow late-night process of dumping the type, its punches and matrices, off the Hammersmith Bridge, into the Thames. It was the only way he could guarantee the Doves type would never be used in an inappropriate way.

There is one more name to mention in relation to this catalogue – Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. Hanson, who died in 1983, was for 35 years the publisher of The Birmingham News. That's Birmingham as in Alabama, not England. Hanson had many interests, but one of his greatest passions was collecting private press books. He did most of his collecting in the 1960s and 1970s, and the books offered in this catalogue come from his Kelmscott and Doves collections. A later catalogue will feature his Ashendene collection. Now, we will take a look at a few items from this catalogue.

Item 1 was just the second book to come off the Kelmscott Press. Poems by the Way is a collection of Morris' own poetry. Some went back many decades, although it was filled out with a poem written in the year the book was published – 1891. For many of the poems, this was their first appearance in print. Priced at £2,000 (British pounds, or roughly US $3,046).

The Private Presses of Hammersmith from Sophie Schneideman Rare Books

- By Michael Stillman

The Kelmscott Reynard.

Morris favored the classics, so this next item was a natural. It combined England's first printer with a classic European tale dating back to still earlier times. Item 5 is William Caxton's translation of The History of Reynard the Foxe, the Kelmscott edition published in 1892. Caxton not only translated the work into English, but printed it back in 1481. Reynard is the tale of the conniving, ethically-challenged fox who always manages to work his way out of the jams he creates. £3,800 (US $5,827).

Though Morris would seem to be naturally suited for sharing the ideals of the elite of society, he was an ardent socialist. For him, the ideal society was one of equality and sharing of assets. His views are expressed in this 1892 publication he wrote as well as printed: News from Nowhere: or, an Epoch of Rest, being some chapters from a Utopian romance. It is Morris' depiction of a utopian society, a story in which a man awakens from a dream into a society with common ownership of the means of production. It is a world without private property, where people enjoy their work and their lives. The work had already been published in America and England by standard printers, but this is Morris' own Kelmscott edition. £3,250 (US $4,983).

A utopian society was certainly a dream of Morris, so a year later he came back with another such book, this one a classic. Item 10 is the Kelmscott edition of Sir Thomas More's Utopia. Originally published in 1516, it is More's look at an idealistic society, one with overtones of Morris' own “Nowhere” (Utopia). This copy includes a prize inscription from an Eton master to his student. Eton had ordered 40 copies of the work to give as prizes, but canceled the order after reading Morris' strongly socialistic introduction. This one must have somehow made its way through. £2,400 (US $3,677).

Item 23 is the work Schneideman describes as “Morris's 'magnum opus' and, in scale at the very least, the greatest Private Press book ever to be published.” It is the Kelmscott Chaucer, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, published in 1896. As Schneideman notes, “its beauty and the sheer work which went into its production is staggering.” The work marked the culmination of Morris' printing career, and he died shortly after the book was completed. This is a particularly special copy, one that ties Morris and Kelmscott to Thomas Cobden-Sanderson and his soon to arrive Doves Press. Forty-eight copies of the Kelmscott Chaucer were sent to Cobden-Sanderson at what was then Doves Bindery to be bound in pigskin. Price on request.

While the Kelmscott items are offered one at a time, the Doves Press books are offered as a collection. Clarence Hanson put together a complete collection of the 40 books published by Doves between 1900 and 1916. The copies are in exceptional condition. Along with the 40 books that came off the Doves Press, there are another nine ephemeral items. The price for the complete collection is available on request.

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books may be reached at 020 8354 7365 or sophie@ssrbooks.com.