Authorship

Title Page. By integrating the title "The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer now newly imprinted" of this publication thoroughly within the botanical designs of the border and background, Morris makes redudant the "newness" of his publication--there can be no mistaking his work with any preceeding anthology of Chaucer. Morris announces his finest publication within his trademark borders that recall the textiles and wallpapers he designed prior to taking up printing. Contrast this title page with the preliminary one on A3v pictured below. 

The text of the Kelmscott Chaucer is of course the product of the early, great Middle English poet and public servant Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400 AD). Though most well known today for his unfinished publication of The Canterbury Tales, the Kelmscott Chaucer is a compilation of all works securely attributed to Chaucer, as determined by Professor Skeats of Oxford, and includes Chaucer’s Trieste on the Astrolabe as well as Troilus and Criseyde. With his writings being composed over fifty years before Gutenburg first pulled the lever of his press, Chaucer’s works originally were promulgated through the thriving manuscript culture that existed in his time in England, and it is from these manuscripts that Professor Skeats and William Morris derived the Kelmscott Chaucer. Professor Skeats is to be credited with the collation and correction of extant Chaucer manuscripts, such as the Ellsemere manuscript, which is explicitly mentioned in the colophon, to produce an anthology of Chaucer’s complete works. Morris is also to be credited with closely examining and imitating the same manuscripts, not for the philological content, but for their extensive illumination. The Ellsemere MS in particular makes use of illustrations to depict Chaucer himself, who Edward Burne-Jones also depicts in his illustrations. Likewise, the Ellsemere MS exhibits illuminated capitals and floral borders, albeit more subdued than the Kelmscott’s. In this way the original publication of Chaucer’s works in his own lifetime have influenced the Kelmscott half a millennium later. The manuscript tradition would have likely involved a reader commissioning a copy of Chaucer’s works and specifying illumination (and possibly a particular scribal hand) and binding to fit his budget. Although not a commissioned work, the Kelmscott Chaucer also imitates the manuscript tradition through Morris’ solicitation of subscriptions for his costly folio. While the buyer of a Kelmscott Chaucer may not have been able to specify how he wanted his volume illuminated, the simple linen spine and blue Holland boards of many of the paper copies suggest that these simple bindings were not intended to be the final enclosure for the book. Rather, due to the robust number binderies operating in England in the late 19^th century, such as Sangorski & Sutclifffe, Riviere & Sons, and Kelly & Sons (my great, great, great grandfather’s binding firm), the buyer would have been expected to have his volume of the Kelmscott Chaucer finely bound to his own specifications. Additionally, the buyer would have also been offered the choice between a paper and vellum copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer.

            Although Chaucer is recognized as the author of the texts in multiple locations (binding, short title page, full title page, and colophon), one may be forgiven for forgetting the author of the text while absorbing the author of the book—William Morris. Even where Chaucer is explicitly credited within the full title page, he is being outshined by Morris’ intricate vinery that overwhelms the reader at the A4r opening. Indeed, the text itself is largely forgettable throughout several sections of the book where the entire opening is decorated with borders and illustrations. However, most of the book is clearly printed in two columns with red and black type and without any other lavish distractions. The colophon and binding (indirectly) name six additional men responsible for the production of this volume: William Morris, for his borders, typography, binding design, and organization; Edward Burne-Jones, for his design of the illustrations; W.H. Hooper, for his transfer of Morris’ and Burne-Jones designs to wood blocks prepared for printing; Thomas Cobden-Sanderson, for his execution of the binding, though he is not explicitly named he is assumed through the binding stamp on the paste-down of the rear board; Reverend Professor Skeats, for his collation of Chaucer’s works from various manuscripts, which formed the text of the Kelmscott Chaucer; and F.S. Ellis, for his editing of Professor Skeats original Chaucer publication. Thus, while the Kelmscott Chaucer attributes Geoffrey Chaucer as its prima facie author, the work may be understood on the whole to be the product of several talented hands.