The Tale of the Emperor Coustans; and Of Over Sea: Done out of Ancient French by William Morris

Morris, William (1834-1896) (translator)

Published by Kelmscott Press, London/Hammersmith, 1894

About this Item

Printed by and sold by William Morris. Bound in publisher's original quarter Holland-backed blue paper boards, with white linen spine and black titles to cover. One of 525 [at seven shillings and sixpence] paper copies (plus 20 [at two guineas] on vellum). Printed on fine, handmade, Batchelor (with the Perch watermark) paper. Uncut, deckled edges. Colophon in red and black. [iv], 130 pp.  Printed in black and red throughout in the Chaucer type designed by Morris for his press. Woodcut frontispiece title within a floral border, and facing page with full woodcut floral page-border (borders 11a and 11). Numerous 7, 6-, and 3-line woodblock initial capitals all designed by Morris, engraved by William Harcourt Hooper. Shoulder notes and some lines (including colophon) in red. A medieval French tale translated by Morris, who found them in a collection of medieval romances printed in Paris in 1856, NOUVELLES FRANcAISES EN PROSE DU XIIIEME SIeCLE. The Kelmscott Press also published two other works from the same source. THE TALE OF EMPEROR COUSTANS was the source of THE MAN BORN TO BE KING, in THE EARTHLY PARADISE. The second story is A TALE OF OVER SEA. [Cockerell 26. Peterson A26. Walsdorf 26.]  Condition overall: Very Good. 16mo: 5 13/16" x 4 1/8" x 3/4" (14.8 x 10.5 x 1.9 cm).

Seller Inventory # 1217

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Tale of the Emperor Coustans; and Of Over Sea: Done out of Ancient French by William Morris
• Publisher: Kelmscott Press, London/Hammersmith
• Publication Date: 1894
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition.
• Printing: 1st Printing
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 0.5 pounds
• Seller catalogs:
  • Kelmscott Press Editions
  • First Editions
  • Fine Press