Book Arts and Fine Press at the Clark Library

The Arts & Crafts movement influenced decorative and applied arts, fine art, and book production at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. Originating in England, and spreading to Europe and America, the era is closely associated with William Morris (1834-1896) and his Kelmscott Press. Focusing on carefully designed and hand-crafted work, the movement was seen as an alternative to mass-produced and cheaply made products. The Kelmscott Press published Romantic and medieval literature (and original writings in those styles) in limited editions, using original typefaces on handmade paper and bound in paper and parchment. Richly illustrated with wood engravings and elaborately printed borders, these books were sought after for their aesthetic and production principles. Early followers of Morris continued the tradition of handmade, limited editions as the basis of book production while creating works of their own designs.

Recognizing the importance and influence of the English Arts and Crafts presses, Clark, Jr. collected the entire output of both the Kelmscott and Doves Presses, as well as other presses from the printing revival during the turn of the last century, such as Cuala and Dun Emer, Nonesuch, and Rampant Lions. The Library’s holdings for English sculptor, typeface designer, stonecutter, and printer Eric Gill (1882–1940) are the most comprehensive in the world; and others in Gill’s circle, especially Robert Gibbings and the Golden Cockerel Press, are also well represented.

How to Search for these Materials:

Individual titles by and about these writers, artists, printers, presses, and corresponding topics can be found in UC Library Search. By starting with Advanced Search and initially limiting the scope to "UCLA Library Catalog (excluding articles)," the search can be refined to authors and subjects.

Suggested subject headings:

"Arts and crafts movement"

"Kelmscott Press" [etc.]

"Private presses--Kelmscott Press [etc.]"

For archival collections, consult the Online Archive of California (OAC) and select the finding aid from the alphabetical list of holdings.

Currently available Digital Collections:

The Eric Gill Artwork collection is fully digitized and available through the UCLA Digital Library. 

For additional information and further reading, please see the Bibliography in this guide.