THE WORKS OF GEOFFREY CHAUCER. ORIGINAL PROOF PRINTING OF THE FIRST BIFOLIUM FROM THE KELMSCOTT PRESS PRINTING OF CHAUCER'S WORKS.

Hammersmith: Printed by William Morris at the Kelmscott Press, circa 1893.. KELMSCOTT BIFOLIUM circa 1893 (i.e. pair of conjugate leaves). Proof sheet of the opening page from the KELMSCOTT CHAUCER. This proof page was typeset in 1893 in a very small number and distributed to William Morris's friends. It contains a variant type setting of the text, eventually rejected by Morris. Bifolium pages approximately 415 x 285 mm, 16¼ x 11¼ inches, [1]-2 and [15]-[16] comprising 2 illustrated pages and 2 text pages, printed in Chaucer type with side-notes in red, 2 wood-engraved illustrations designed by Edward Burne-Jones, wood-engraved borders and one very large initial plus 5 large and 7 smaller initials by William Morris, folio Proof of one of the most famous pages in printing history, with variations in the typesetting from the final version. A shallow crease due to folding the sheets to house in a another Kelmscott book, a little pale foxing, mostly to margins, edges slightly dusty, otherwise very good condition (see attached images). See: William S. Peterson, A Bibliography of The Kelmscott Press, A40, pages 101-115. One of only a few copies printed which were subsequently given to Morris's friends. The first column of text contains 7 lines; in the published version the seventh line appears at the head of the second column and the final line "The chambres and the stables weren wyde" has been moved to the following page. The first illustration depicts Chaucer in a garden holding a book and pen, Morris himself drew the plants in the garden. The second illustration is from 'The Knight's Tale'. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.