Done
New York, NY, United States
Auction Details
The Complete Kelmscott Press Collection
The Complete Kelmscott Press Collection of Joseph Mark Van Horn
Joseph Mark Van Horn (1932-1983) was an entrepreneur and inventor, described as "a remarkable man, self-made and self-educated." An orphan, he went on to become an MIT educated engineer and computer scientist, holding numerous US and foreign patents. He was also a member of the Club of Odd Volumes, the Harvard Faculty Club, and the Grolier Club, and put together this remarkable and complete collection of William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, including related works to Morris and his vision. Van Horn bought mostly in the 1960s and 70s both at auction and from the respected book dealers of his day including Philip Duschnes and Goodspeed's, with some receipts still extant, assembling this fantastic collection featuring numerous association copies presented by Morris to important contemporaries such as Edward Burne-Jones, Sydney Cockerell, Rudyard Kipling, A.C. Swinburne, as well as copies on vellum of desirable Kelmscott titles, copies from famous collectors like Robert Hoe; Beverly Chew; and Mark Landsburgh, as well as copies of famous books that would influence Morris's designs at the Kelmscott Press, such as Koberger's Nuremberg Chronicle. Van Horn was described as having "the most remarkable taste in the arts," and the condition of most of the works in the collection would support that assessment. Remarkably, when Van Horn passed away suddenly in 1983, the collection was inherited by his fianc?e, Laura Carchia, who proceeded to store it away for the next 40 years until her own passing in 2023. For the first time since 1983, this wonderful, and complete, collection of William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, with related works, is reemerging like Rip Van Winkle and offered here at auction - representing an unheard of opportunity to acquire works not seen in the market for 50 years.
Joseph Mark Van Horn (1932-1983) was an entrepreneur and inventor, described as "a remarkable man, self-made and self-educated." An orphan, he went on to become an MIT educated engineer and computer scientist, holding numerous US and foreign patents. He was also a member of the Club of Odd Volumes, the Harvard Faculty Club, and the Grolier Club, and put together this remarkable and complete collection of William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, including related works to Morris and his vision. Van Horn bought mostly in the 1960s and 70s both at auction and from the respected book dealers of his day including Philip Duschnes and Goodspeed's, with some receipts still extant, assembling this fantastic collection featuring numerous association copies presented by Morris to important contemporaries such as Edward Burne-Jones, Sydney Cockerell, Rudyard Kipling, A.C. Swinburne, as well as copies on vellum of desirable Kelmscott titles, copies from famous collectors like Robert Hoe; Beverly Chew; and Mark Landsburgh, as well as copies of famous books that would influence Morris's designs at the Kelmscott Press, such as Koberger's Nuremberg Chronicle. Van Horn was described as having "the most remarkable taste in the arts," and the condition of most of the works in the collection would support that assessment. Remarkably, when Van Horn passed away suddenly in 1983, the collection was inherited by his fianc?e, Laura Carchia, who proceeded to store it away for the next 40 years until her own passing in 2023. For the first time since 1983, this wonderful, and complete, collection of William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, with related works, is reemerging like Rip Van Winkle and offered here at auction - representing an unheard of opportunity to acquire works not seen in the market for 50 years.
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0025: MORRIS'S ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT TITLE-PAGE DESIGN FOR ROSSETTI. Ballads and Narrative Poems. [Hamme...Est. $8,000-$12,000
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0026: INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM MORRIS TO SWINBURNE. MORRIS, WILLIAM, translator. Tale of King Florus and ...Est. $4,000-$6,000
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0027: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Story of the Glittering Plain, or the Land of Living Men. Hamm...Est. $3,000-$5,000
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0028: PRINTED ON VELLUM - ONE OF ONLY 15 COPIES. MORRIS, WILLIAM, translator. Of the Friendship of A...Est. $15,000-$25,000
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0029: KEATS, JOHN. 1795-1821. The Poems. Edited by F.S. Ellis. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1894.Est. $6,000-$9,000
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0030: SWINBURNE, ALGERNON CHARLES. 1837-1909. Atalanta in Calydon. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1894.Est. $2,000-$3,000
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0031: MORRIS, WILLIAM, translator. The tale of the Emperor Coustans and of Over Sea. Translated from...Est. $800-$1,200
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0032: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Wood Beyond the World. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1894.Est. $3,000-$4,000
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0033: INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM MORRIS TO RUDYARD KIPLING. The Book of Wisdom and Lies. Translated by Olive...Est. $10,000-$15,000
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0034: INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM MORRIS TO HIS SISTER IN LAW ELIZABETH BURDEN. SHELLEY, PERCY BYSSHE. 1792-1...Est. $10,000-$15,000
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0035: ELLIS, FREDERICK STARTRIDGE, editor. 1830-1901. Psalmi Penitentiales. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Pr...Est. $800-$1,200
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0036: SAVONAROLA, GIROLAMO. 1452-1498. Epistola de Contemptu Mundi. Edited by Charles Fairfax Murray. ...Est. $4,000-$6,000
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0037: MORRIS, WILLIAM and A.J. WYATT, translators. The Tale of Beowulf. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, ...Est. $6,000-$9,000
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0038: ELLIS, FREDERICK STARTRIDGE, editor. 1830-1901. Syr Perecyvelle of Gales. Hammersmith: Kelmscott...Est. $1,000-$1,500
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0039: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Life and Death of Jason, A Poem. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press,...Est. $4,000-$6,000
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0040: WILLIAM MORRIS ASSOCIATION COPY IN FINE BINDING. MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Child Christopher ...Est. $8,000-$12,000
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0041: INSCRIBED BY MORRIS TO F.S. ELLIS. MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Child Christopher and Goldilind ...Est. $4,000-$6,000
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0042: EDMUND GOSSE'S COPY. ROSSETTI, DANTE GABRIEL. 1828-1882. Hand and Soul. Hammersmith: Kelmscott...Est. $600-$900
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0044: INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM MORRIS TO EDWARD BURNE-JONES. COLERIDGE, SAMUEL TAYLOR. 1772-1834. Poems C...Est. $10,000-$15,000
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0045: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-96. The Well at the World's End. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1896.Est. $3,000-$4,000
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0046: KELMSCOTT CHAUCER: THE FINEST BOOK SINCE THE GUTENBERG BIBLE. CHAUCER, GEOFFREY. 1343-1400. The ...Est. $60,000-$90,000
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![MORRIS'S ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT TITLE-PAGE DESIGN FOR ROSSETTI. Ballads and Narrative Poems. [Hamme...: MORRIS'S ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT TITLE-PAGE DESIGN FOR ROSSETTI.Ballads and Narrative Poems. [Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, c. 1893.] 202 x 141 mm. Ink, pencil and Chinese white on thick paper, a](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/1043/354414/193742680_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1733414757)








![INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM MORRIS TO HIS SISTER IN LAW ELIZABETH BURDEN. SHELLEY, PERCY BYSSHE. 1792-1...: INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM MORRIS TO HIS SISTER IN LAW ELIZABETH BURDEN.SHELLEY, PERCY BYSSHE. 1792-1822. The Poetical Works. Edited by F.S. Ellis. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, [1894]-1895. 3 volumes,](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/1043/354414/193742689_2_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1733414757)

![SAVONAROLA, GIROLAMO. 1452-1498. Epistola de Contemptu Mundi. Edited by Charles Fairfax Murray. ...: SAVONAROLA, GIROLAMO. 1452-1498.Epistola de Contemptu Mundi. Edited by Charles Fairfax Murray. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, [1894]-1895. 8vo, uncut, partially unopened. Italian text. Printed in](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/1043/354414/193742691_2_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1733414757)












