William Morris (1834-1896)

de Ricci, pp. 166, 171-3, 178; W. Y. Fletcher, English book collectors, pp. 423-7.

Morris manuscripts can usually be recognised by the booklabel added posthumously. But the label has been removed from some manuscripts, and has perhaps been added to others which never belonged to him. It was not added to those he disoposed of during his life.

morris

When there is no booklabel, it may be possible to recognise a Morris manuscript by the inventory number, with an oblique stroke below it, in the top left corner of the upper pastedown or flyleaf; '62' in the previous example, '104' in the following one:

morris

Dr William Stoneman of the Houghton Library, Harvard, has compiled a list of the pre- and post-1898 provenance of all the Morris manuscripts in the sale. He is aware of the present whereabouts of all except those listed below.

1898 lot no. Ellis no. Text Cent. Country No. leaves 
35   Bible 14 Fr. 593  46 lines, 2 cols.
36 25 Bible 14 Ital. 436 54 lines, 2 cols.
37 20 Bible 14 Fr./Eng. 632 44 lines, 2 cols.
38   Bible 14 S. Fr.? 387 52 lines, 2 cols.
52 31 Breviary, use of Chalons sur Marne 14 Fr. 476 44 historiated initials
118 2 Ambrose, Opera: De obitu fratris, etc. 15   86 4 historiated initials
125 4 Antiphonary, use of Rome 13 and 15 Ital 180 and 236  
126 5 Apocalypse, trans. Fredericus of Venice, with gloss of N. de Lyra 14 Ital. 169 Miniature, roundels, ill. inits.
171 23 Bible 14 Fr./Eng. 368 54-57 lines, 2 cols
306 29 Boethius; Vitruvius 11; 12 Eng. 67; 73 Medieval boards
342   Carta del testamento de gabriel Luys de Sevilla 1595 Span.   Deacessioned by Wellcome in 1945
371   Comestor, Hist. Scol. 14 Fr. 278 43 lines, 2 cols.
439 50 Horae 15 Flem. 235 'Wm. Morris ... July 4th 1895'
470 43 Gregory, Moralia 12   732 5 vols., 29-31 lines
513 69 Glossed Pauline Epistles 11?   164 Cockerell; 'MCCCCXXVII' on last leaf
522   Evangelistary, noted 13 Eng? 217  
720 52 Indo Persian Drawings        
784   4 Missal leaves 14     Each with a hist. init.
867   Psalter 13 Germ? 152 Lacks Beatus
912 64 J. de Muris, Theorica proportionum musicalium ... 15   16 Cursive script in black, red, and blue; diagrams
972   Psalter 14 Eng. 141 8 hist. inits.; ex lib. Howel Wills
1023 88 NT and Hebrew names 13 Eng./Fr. 90  
1061 84 Coustumez du Baillage de Senlis 15 Fr. 59 On paper
1137 83 Statuti regni Angliae c.1446 Eng 271 Signed & dated by Morris, 1891

Last updated 26/11/02