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A Book of Verse

Manuscript
1870 (made)
Artist/Maker
Morris, William (author)
Edward Burne Jones (artist)
Charles Fairfax Murray (artist)
Morris, William (calligrapher)
Place of origin
England (made)

[4], 51, [1] pages.
Calligraphy in ink and gilt. Paginated in gilt.
Drawing in gouache by Sir Edward Burne-Jones and miniatures by Charles Fairfax Murray, some after designs by George Wardle.
Watermark: fleur-de-lis ; 'Cansell 1864'.
Binding: vellum tooled in gold with floral ornaments. Initials of dedicatee, "G.B.J." (Georgina Burne-Jones) at centre of covers, within gilt laurel wreath. Spine gilt with ornaments and lettered. Gilt edges. Typescript note describing repairs to binding dated Feb. 1982, tipped-in (inside back cover)

Object details

Categories
Bookbinding
Manuscripts
Calligraphy
National Art Library
Object type
manuscript
TitleA Book of Verse (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Paper
Ink
Watercolour (Paint)
Parchment
Gold
Calligraphy
Bookbinding
Gold Tooling
Watercolour
Gold Tooling
Brief description
Manuscript, A book of verse, by William Morris, England, 1870.
Physical description
[4], 51, [1] pages.
Calligraphy in ink and gilt. Paginated in gilt.
Drawing in gouache by Sir Edward Burne-Jones and miniatures by Charles Fairfax Murray, some after designs by George Wardle.
Watermark: fleur-de-lis ; 'Cansell 1864'.
Binding: vellum tooled in gold with floral ornaments. Initials of dedicatee, "G.B.J." (Georgina Burne-Jones) at centre of covers, within gilt laurel wreath. Spine gilt with ornaments and lettered. Gilt edges. Typescript note describing repairs to binding dated Feb. 1982, tipped-in (inside back cover)

Dimensions
  • Height of book closed height: 282mm
  • Open width: 28cm
  • Height: 12cm
  • Width: 43cm
  • Open, on cradle depth: 28cm (Note: From BGs Planning folder)
  • Width of book closed width: 222mm
  • Depth of book closed depth: 16mm
Production typeUnique
Object history
Written and decorated in 1870 for presentation to Lady Burne-Jones.
Purchased in 1953 by the Victoria and Albert Museum with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries.
Bibliographic references
  • Whalley, J.I. and V.Kaden (eds.). The universal penman. A survey of western calligraphy from the Roman period to 1980. London: 1980. p. 89.
  • A book of verse: a facsimile of the manuscript written in 1870 by William Morris, J.I. Whalley, London: Scolar Press, 1981.
  • Watson, R. Western Illuminated Manuscripts.Victoria and Albert Museum. A catalogue of works in the National Art Library from the eleventh to the early twentieth century, with a complete account of the George Reid Collection. London, 2011. Vol. 3, no. 264.
Other numbers
  • KRP.A.47 - NAL Pressmark
  • 38041800530024 - NAL barcode
Collection
National Art Library
Library number
MSL/1953/131

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Record createdMarch 24, 2016
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1347522/a-book-of-verse-manuscript-morris-william/
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