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.
Sold
0049: CLANVOWE, SIR THOMAS. FL. 1400. The Floure and the Leafe, & the Boke of Cupide, God of Love, or ...Est. $1,000-$1,500
Sold
0050: SPENSER, EDMUND. D. 1599. The Shepheardes Calender: Conteyning Twelve Aeglogues, Proportionable ...Est. $2,000-$3,000
Sold
0051: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Water of the Wondrous Isles by William Morris. Hammersmith: Kel...Est. $3,000-$4,000
Sold
0052: RARE TRIAL LEAVES FROM FROISSART. FROISSART, JEAN. 1337-1405. Here Begynneth the Prologue of...Est. $6,000-$9,000
Sold
0053: FINELY BOUND BY DE SAUTY. BURNE-JONES, EDWARD, illustrator. Sire Degrevaunt. Hammersmith: Kelms...Est. $4,000-$6,000
Sold
0054: ELLIS, FREDERICK STARTRIDGE, editor. 1830-1901. Syr Ysambrace. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1897.Est. $800-$1,200
Sold
0055: ELLIS, FREDERICK STARTRIDGE, editor. 1830-1901. Syr Ysambrace. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1897.Est. $800-$1,200
Sold
0056: COCKERELL, SYDNEY C. editor. Some German Woodcuts of the Fifteenth Century. Hammersmith: The K...Est. $800-$1,200
Sold
0057: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs. Ham...Est. $6,000-$9,000
Sold
0058: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs. Ham...Est. $1,000-$1,500
Sold
0059: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. The Sundering Flood. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1897.Est. $1,000-$1,500
Sold
0060: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Love is Enough, or the Freeing of Pharamond: A Morality. Hammersm...Est. $4,000-$6,000
Sold
0061: PRINTED ON VELLUM: THE FOUNDING OF THE KELMSCOTT PRESS. MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. A Note By W...Est. $30,000-$50,000
Sold
0062: MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896 A Note By William Morris On His Aims In Founding The Kelmscott Press ...Est. $2,000-$3,000
Sold
0063: RARE COLLECTION OF LEAFLETS. 'Kelmscott Press Leaflets' (spine title). Hammersmith: Kelmscott Pr...Est. $4,000-$6,000
Sold
0064: KELMSCOTT PRESS EPHEMERA. 'An American Memorial to Keats.' Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1894.Est. $800-$1,200
Sold
0065: MORRIS LETTER ON PRESERVATION. MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Autograph Letter Signed ('William Mor...Est. $600-$900
Sold
0066: ROSSETTI, CHRISTINA. 1830-1894. ROSSETTI, DANTE GABRIEL. 1828-1882. Autograph Poem (unsigned) in...Est. $800-$1,200
Sold
0067: A CAXTON IMPRINT LEAF. HIGDEN, RANULPH. C. 1280-1364. Polycronicon. [Westminster: William Caxto...Est. $400-$600
Sold
0068: NUREMBERG CHRONICLE. SCHEDEL, HARTMANN. 1440-1514. Liber chronicarum. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger...Est. $30,000-$50,000
Sold
0069: HERALDRY. WYRLEY, WILLIAM. 1565-1618. The true use of armorie, shewed by historie, and plainly p...Est. $1,500-$2,000
Sold
0070: A. EDWARD NEWTON'S COPY. GAY, JOHN. 1685-1732. The Beggar's Opera. London: John Watts, 1728.Est. $400-$600
Sold
0071: WILLIAM MORRIS PRESENTATION COPY. MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Translator. The Aenids of Virgil d...Est. $400-$600
0072: ROSSETTI POSTHUMOUS PRESENTATION. ROSSETTI, DANTE GABRIEL. 1828-1882. Ballads and Sonnets. Londo...Est. $1,000-$1,500Lot Passed
TOP



















![MORRIS LETTER ON PRESERVATION. MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Autograph Letter Signed ('William Mor...: MORRIS LETTER ON PRESERVATION.MORRIS, WILLIAM. 1834-1896. Autograph Letter Signed ('William Morris') to [William] Armstrong, regarding the imminent demolition of an antique house, 3 pp (with](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/1043/354414/193742720_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1733414757)

![A CAXTON IMPRINT LEAF. HIGDEN, RANULPH. C. 1280-1364. Polycronicon. [Westminster: William Caxto...: A CAXTON IMPRINT LEAF.HIGDEN, RANULPH. C. 1280-1364. Polycronicon. [Westminster: William Caxton, 1482]. 1 p, folio (275 x 204 mm), being a single leaf (CXXI) of Liber Tercius, 40 lines and headline,](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/1043/354414/193742722_2_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1733414757)





