¶ Marx — Capital (1887)

Marx, Karl. Capital: a critical analysis of capitalist production. Ed. Frederick Engels; trans. Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling. 2 vols. London: Swan Sonnenschein, Lowrey, & Co., 1887.

Inscribed by Engels and Aveling to Morris, March 1887 (see images below).

Provenance: Morris. —Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 635 (sold to Edmunds for £1 11s.). — Erasmushaus Haus der Bücher, Basel, 6 May 1985 (sold to an unidentified Swiss
businessman for $25,000). — Galerie-Moenius (Bern) catalogue 79, 30 October 2021 (sold to Peter Harrington for CHF 110,000). — Offered for sale (£275,000) by Peter Harrington, March 2022.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 595.

Digital versions: Google (vol. 2). — HathiTrust (vol. 2). — Internet Archive (vol. 1).

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Four titles (1489–1500)

The following titles are bound together:

[1] Philippi, Jacobus. Praecordiale devotorum. Basel: [Michael Furter], 16 June 1489.

Illustrated.

Reference: ISTC (ip00953000).

Digital version: BSB.

[2] Meditationes de vita et beneficiis Jesu Christ. [Cologne: Johann Landen, c. 1500.]

References: Ellis valuation, fol. 24b (£3). — ISTC (im00434000).

Digital version: ULD.

[3] Zerbolt, Gerard [Gerardus de Zutphania]. De spiritualibus ascensionibus. [Basel: Johann Amerbach and Johann Petri de Langendorff, not after 1489.]

References: Ellis valuation, fol. 24b (£3) [listed with Meditationes (above)]. — ISTC (ig00177000).

Digital version: BSB.

[4] Bertholdus. Horologium devotionis. Cologne: Johann Landen, [c. 1498].

Illustrated.

Reference: ISTC (ib00507000).

Digital version: ULD.

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Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 813 (sold to Sotheran for £22). — John Rylands Library, University of Manchester (Incunable Collection R18016.1).

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Polydore Vergil — Anglicae historiae (1555)

Polydore Vergil. Polydori Vergilii Vrbinatis Anglicae historiae libri vigintiseptem. 3rd ed. Basel: Apud Mich. Isingrinium, 1555.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 4v (15s. [?]).

Note in MS catalogue (1): “wood-cut titles.”

¶ Boccaccio — de la genealogie des dieux (1531)

Boccaccio, Giovanni. de la genealogie des dieux. Paris: Philippe le Noir 1531.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS (1), fol. 4v (10s.).

Note in MS (1): “wood-cuts.”

PDF available Library of Congress.

¶ Josephus — De las bataille des Juifs (1530)

Josephus, Flavius. De las bataille des Juifs. Paris: Pierre Leber and Ambroise Girault, 1530.

Illustrated. Alternate title: Le grant almageste, contenant les annales et antiquitez iudaicques co[m]mencant depuis la creation du mo[n]de iusques a la derniere destruction de Hierusalem.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 3r (£3 3s.).

Note in MS catalogue (1): “wood-cuts.”

¶ Dürer — Apocolypsis cum figuris (1498)

Dürer, Albrecht. Apocolypsis cum figuris. Nuremberg, 1498.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 6v (£40).

A set of fifteen woodcuts by Dürer portraying passages in the Book of Revelation. The MS catalogue (1) entry does not supply a date, but we are assuming that Morris owned the first edition.

¶ Froissart — Chroniques (c. 1499–1503)

Froissart, Jean. Les Chroniques de Froissart. 3 vols. Paris: Antoine Vérard, [c. 1499-1503].

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 6 (£7 10s.) [with note that two or three pages are torn and need mending].— ISTC (if00323000).

Issued in four parts. It is not clear whether Morris owned the final part, since MS catalogue (1) mentions three volumes.

Jerome, St. — La vita di Sancti padri (1499)

Jerome, St. La vita di Sancti padri vulgare historiata. Venice: Christophoro di Pensa, 5 December 1499.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

References: MS catalogue (1), fol. 4 (£1 5s.). — ISTC (ih00235000).

Note in MS catalogue (1): “poor copy – wood-cuts.”

An Italian translation by Feo Belcari of Vitae patrum. In MS catalogue (1) the publication date is given as 1500; as far as we can tell, the closest date for an edition of this book is 1499.

¶ Gilles — Les Chroniques et annales de France (1525)

Gilles, Nicole. Les Chroniques et annales de France. Paris: Galliot-Dupré, 1525

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 6v (£2 10s.).

Digital version: Google Books.

¶ Aesop — Esopo historiado (1502)

Aesop [Aesopus]. Esopo historiado. Venice: M. de Bonella, 25 February 1502.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 7v (£10).

¶ More — Opera Latina omnia (1565)

More, Sir Thomas. Opera Latina omnia. Louvain: Jean Bogard, 1565.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: Ellis valuation, fol. 3

¶ Cleasby — Icelandic–English dictionary (1869)

Cleasby, Richard, and Gudbrand Vigfusson. An Icelandic–English dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1869.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: Morris catalogue (2), no. 691 (where it is misdated 1859).

This title also appears in MS catalogue (1), fol. 19v (£1 10s.), but it is not clear whether that record refers to this book or another edition of the dictionary (1874) that Morris also owned.

Digital version: HathiTrust.

¶ Herodotus — Historiographi libri novem (1526)

Herodotus. Herodoti Halicarnassei Historiographi libri novem. Cologne: Eucharius Cervicornus for Gottfried Hittorp, 10 January 1526.

With Morris book label. Shortly after Morris’s death, his executors sold several books privately to Fairfax Murray (who at one time hoped to buy the entire library), and this seems likely to have been one of them, since it does not appear in the 1898 Sotheby catalogue. A further complication is that when it was auctioned in 1917 (see below), the catalogue entry fails to mention Morris, but it is almost certainly the same book, since the binding (half russia) is identical.

Provenance: Morris. — Charles Fairfax Murray. — Fairfax Murray sale, Christie, 11 December 1917, lot 212. — Unlocated.

Reference: Fairfax Murray Catalogue (German), 1, no. 198.

¶ Moland — Nouvelles françoises en prose du XIIIe siécle (1856)

Moland, Louis Émile Dieudonné, and Charles d’Hâericault. Nouvelles françoises en prose du XIIIe siécle. Bibliothèque elzevirienne. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1856.

With a note by Robert Steele: “Used by Morris in his translation of King Florus, Amis and Amile, and the Emperor Coustans.”

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Caxton Head [Tregaskis] catalogue 539, July 1903. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 67.

Digital version: HathiTrust.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Moland — Nouvelles françoises en prose du XIV siécle (1856)

Moland, Louis Émile Dieudonné, and Charles d’Hâericault. Nouvelles françoises en prose du XIVe siécle. Bibliothèque elzevirienne. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1858.

The Sotheby 1898 catalogue indicates that Morris owned two copies of this title.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Unlocated.

Digital version: HathiTrust.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Wright — Les cent nouvelles nouvelles (1858)

Wright, Thomas, ed. Les cent nouvelles nouvelles. Bibliothèque elzevirienne. 2 vols. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1858.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Unlocated.

Digital version: HathiTrust.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Straparola — Les facétieuses nuits de Straparole (1857)

Straparola, Gianfrancesco. Les facétieuses nuits de Straparole. Bibliothèque elzévirenne. 2 vols. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1857.

Provenance: Morris (purchased for 6d.). — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (1), fol. 15v.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Montaiglon — Le livre du chevalier de la Tour-Landry (1854)

Montaiglon, Anatole de. Le livre du chevalier de la Tour-Landry. Bibliothèque elzevirienne. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1854.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Caxton Head [Tregaskis] catalogue 539, July 1903, no. 193 (12s. 6d.). — Unlocated.

Digital version: HathiTrust.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Morris — Saga library (1891–93)

Morris, William, and Eiríkr Magnússon, trans. The saga library. 3 vols. London: Bernard Quaritch, 1891–93.

Described in the Lobb catalogue as “L.P., Autograph Presentation Copy from Morris, vols 1 to 3, with 8 odd and duplicate vols of the ordinary edition, etc. 12 vols.”

Provenance: Morris. — Jane Morris (?). — May Morris. — Mary Lobb. — Lobb sale 2, no. 486 (sold for £3 5s.). — Unlocated.

¶ Tchernychewsky — Que faire? (1876)

Tchernychewsky, N. G. Que faire? Roman. Milano: Levino Robecchi, 1876.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 750.

¶ Mirth in ridicule (1708)

Mirth in ridicule, or a satyr against immoderate laughing. London: J. Morphew, [1708].

Morris book label but not listed in the Sotheby 1898 catalogue.

Provenance: Morris. — Sotheby, 2004, lot 348 (sold for £1,920). — Unlocated.

Reference: ESTC (T118869).

Digital version: EECO.

¶ Rossetti — Family letters (1895)

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. Dante Gabriel Rossetti: his family letters. Ed. William Michael Rossetti. 2 vols. London: Ellis and Elvey, 1895.

Large paper. This probably passed through the Sotheby 1898 sale, since it has Morris’s book label, but it does not appear in that catalogue.

Provenance: Morris. — W.F.G. — James William Ellsworth. — Rosenbach (sold 27 December 1943 for $25). — Christie, 2004, lot 198 (sold for £1,075). — Unlocated.

Digital version: HathiTrust.

¶ Collection de poésies, romans, chroniques (1838–58)

Collection de poésies, romans, chroniques &c. . . . publié d’après d’anciens manuscrits et d’après des éditions des XVe et XVIe siècles. 25 vols. in 4. Paris: L.-C. Silvestre [and others], 1838–58.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 640.

¶ Morris — Manuscript notebook

Morris, William. Manuscript notebook, chiefly notes on books in British Museum.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 6.

¶ Spruner von Merz — Spruner-Menke atlas antiquus (1865)

Spruner von Merz, Karl. Spruner-Menke atlas antiquus. Ed. Theodorus Menke. Germany: J. Perthes, 1865.

This collection of maps went through several editions; we are not sure which version Morris owned.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 1136 (part; sold to Henry Wellcome for 11s.). — Henry Wellcome. — Wellcome Library [deaccessioned]. — Unlocated.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Morris — Defence of Guenevere (1875)

Morris, William. The defence of Guenevere and other poems. London: Ellis & White, 1875.

Large paper.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 176.

¶ Magnússon — Volsünga saga (1870)

Magnússon, Eiríkr, and William Morris, trans. Volsünga saga. The story of the Volsungs and Niblungs, with certain songs from the elder Edda. London: F. S. Ellis, 1870.

Large paper; presentation copy from Morris to unidentified recipient (probably Jane Morris), in a binding designed by Elizabeth Burden (Jane’s sister) and executed by T. J. Cobden-Sanderson. Two pages of the book are decorated by Morris.

Provenance: Morris. — Jane Morris (?). — May Morris. — Mary Lobb. — Lobb sale 2, lot 471 (perhaps sold for £22; in the British Library copy of the catalogue, the lot is marked both “Sell” and “Keep”). — Unlocated.

Reference: LeMire, p. 51.

¶ Chaucer Society’s publications

Chaucer Society’s publications.

One lot in the Sotheby 1898 catalogue (see below) included a substantial collection of miscellaneous publications by the Chaucer Society (founded in 1868): First Series, 14 numbers (between 16 and 43); Second Series (18 numbers); A six-print text of Chaucer’s Canterbury tales, ed. Frederick J. Furnivall; and Chaucer’s various writings (10 vols.). The books probably came to Morris as gifts from his friend Furnivall, the founder of the Society.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 210 (sold to Sotheran for £1 18s.). — Unlocated.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Conradus, de Brundelsheim — Sermones (1480)

Conradus, de Brundelsheim [Soccus]. Sermones de tempore. Deventer: Richardus Pafraet, 1480.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 1124 (sold to Proctor for £5 10s.). — Robert Proctor. — Unlocated.

References: Ellis valuation, fol. 42 (10s.). — ISTC (is00588000). — MS catalogue (2), no. 932, p. 85 (with an X beside the title).

Digital version: ULD.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Aquinas (c. 1500) and Biel (1499)

The following titles were bound together but were separated after Morris’s death:

[1] Aquinas, Thomas, Saint. In hoc libello continentur tres tractatuli. Primus est sancti Thome Aquinatis de mirabili quidditate et efficacia venerabilis sacramenti eucharistie. Secundus est magistri Nicolai de lyra de idoneo ministrante suscipiente idem sacramentum. Tercius est alicuius docti collectoris de expositione dominice orationis. [Cologne: Heinrich Quentel, c. 1500.]

Digital version: Google.

[2] Biel, Gabriel. Epitoma expositionis sacri canonis missae. Ed. Wendelin Steinbach. Tübingen: [Johann Otmar for Friedrich Meynberger, 1499.]

Illustrated.

Reference: ISTC (ib00654000).

Digital version: BSB.

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Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 1078 (sold to Proctor for £1 16s.). — Robert Proctor. — [Aquinas only:] — Christie (South Kensington), 20 September 1996, lot 2 (sold to Maggs for £1,255). — Maggs catalogue 1220, no. 8. — Unlocated.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Boedhvarsson — Riimur af Ingvari Viidfaurla og Sveini Syni Hans (1777)

Boedhvarsson, Arni. Riimur af Ingvari Viidfaurla og Sveini Syni Hans. [Iceland:] Hrappsey, 1777.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 50.

¶ Horae (c. 1520)

Horae. Paris, c. 1520.

We have been unable to identify this book. The entry in MS catalogue (2) reads: “Book of Hours printed on vellum (imperfect, printed at Paris about 1520).”

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

References: MS catalogue (1), fol. 7v (£5 ) [imperfect]. —MS catalogue (2), no. 38 (with two X’s beside the title).

¶ Magnússon — Volsünga saga (1870)

Magnússon, Eiríkr, and William Morris, trans. Volsünga saga. The story of the Volsungs and Niblungs, with certain songs from the elder Edda. London: F. S. Ellis, 1870.

In a binding designed by Philip Webb.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 250.

¶ Morris — Aeneids of Virgil (1876)

Morris, William, trans. Aeneids of Virgil. 2 vols. London: Ellis & White, 1876.

Large paper.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

References: LeMire, p. 65. — MS catalogue (2), no. 175.

¶ Duns Scotus — Quaestiones (c. 1477)

Duns Scotus, John [Johannes]. Quaestiones selectae abbreviatae et ordinatae per alphabetum super quattuor libris Sententiarum Petri Lombardi Quodlibetisque Metaphysicae et De Anima. Ed. Johann, von Köln [Johannes de Colonia]. [Venice]: Vindelinus de Spira, [c. 1477].

The edition we have chosen is conjectural. The full entry in MS catalogue (2) is “Petri Lombardi sententiae sine loco et n. probably printed at Venice.”

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

References: ISTC (id00384000). — MS catalogue (2), no. 802 (with two X’s next to the title).

¶ Morris — Earthly paradise (1872)

Morris, William. The earthly paradise. 10 vols. London: Ellis and Green, 1872.

“Popular Edition. In ten parts.” An incomplete set: includes parts 3, 4, 5, 6, 10.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 260.

¶ Plates of a book about the making of tapestry

Plates of a book about the making of tapestry.

Unidentified. The full entry in MS catalogue (2) is “The Making of Tapestry. Plates only. Paris.”

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 335.

¶ Album of eastern illuminations

Album of eastern illuminations.

Unidentified. The full entry in MS catalogue (2) is “Album of Eastern Illuminations (Delhi work seemingly).”

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 353.

¶ Facsimiles of ancient manuscripts (1873–?)

Facsimiles of ancient manuscripts. London: Paleographical Society, 1873—?

This series continued into the twentieth century, so it is unclear how many volumes Morris owned.

Provenance: Morris — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 324.

¶ Lemprière — Biblioteca classica (1825)

Lemprière, John. Biblioteca classica, or a classical dictionary containing a full account of all the proper names mentioned in ancient authors, with tables of coins, weights and measures in use among the Greeks and Romans. London: T. & J. Allman, 1825.

MS catalogue (2) does not identify the date of this book, which went through many editions.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 294.

¶ Morris — Life and death of Jason (1877)

Morris, William. The life and death of Jason: a poem. 7th ed. London: Ellis and White, 1877.

With corrections in pencil.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 263.

Digital version: Google.

¶ Sturluson — Sagan af Agli Skallagrímssyni (1856)

Sturluson, Snorri. Sagan af Agli Skallagrímssyni. Ed. Jón Þorkelsson. Reykjavík: Einar Þórðarson, 1856.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 274.

¶ Kringvåra balk (?)

Kringvåra balk (?)

We cannot identify this book. The entry in MS catalogue (2) reads: “Kringvara balk (lacks title) printed in Iceland about 1680.”

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 271.

¶ Bulteau — Description de la cathédrale de Chartres (1850)

Bulteau, Marcel Joseph. Description de la cathédrale de Chartres. Chartres: Garnier and others, 1850.

Illustrated.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 149.

¶ Bayet — L’art byzantin (1883)

Bayet, Charles. L’art byzantin. Paris: A. Quantin, 1883.

Illustrated.

Provenance: Morris. — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 130.

¶ Jean, d’Arras — Melusine (1854)

Jean, d’Arras. Melusine. Ed. Charles Brunet. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1854.

Based on Paris, 1478 edition.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 62.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Brunet — Le violier des histoires romaines (1858)

Brunet, Gustave, ed. Le violier des histoires romaines: ancienne traduction françoise des Gesta Romanorum. Paris: Pierre Jannet, 1858.

Provenance: Morris. — Richard Bennett. — Sotheby 1898, lot 42 (part; sold to Breslauer for £1 9s.). — Unlocated.

Reference: MS catalogue (2), no. 63.

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Sotheby 1898:

¶ Jacobus, de Voragine — Golden legend (1892)

Jacobus, de Voragine. The golden legend. Trans. William Caxton and ed. F. S. Ellis. 3 vols. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892.

Morris’s copy, with some manuscript notes.

Provenance: Morris. — Parke-Bernet, 13 March 1971, lot 347. — Unlocated.

Reference: Bibliography, A7.

¶ Morris — Dream of John Ball (1892)

Morris, William. A dream of John Ball and A king’s lesson. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892.

Frontispiece by Burne-Jones. Vellum copy. Inscribed “Sold to Henry Gamman, August 1897. S. C. Cockerell.” Clipped signature of Morris tipped in.

Provenance: Morris estate. — Henry Gamman (purchased from the Morris estate, August 1897; sold August 1899). — Marsden J. Perry. — Perry sale, American Art Association, Anderson Galleries (New York), 12 March 1936, lot 244 (sold for $60). — Unlocated.

References: Bibliography, A6. — Marsden Perry List, no. 18.

¶ Rossetti — Hand and soul (1895)

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. Hand and soul. Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1895.

Vellum copy. Inscribed “Sold to Henry Gamman, August 1897. S. C. Cockerell.” Clipped signature of Morris tipped in.

Provenance: Morris. — Henry Gamman (purchased from the Morris estate, August 1897; sold August 1899). — Marsden J. Perry. — Perry sale, American Art Association, Anderson Galleries (New York), 12 March 1936, lot 274 (sold for $60). — Unlocated.

References: Bibliography, 36. — Marsden Perry List, no. 165.