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Triple Crown Collection

 Collection
Identifier: RB-RB-002

The Triple Crown Collection consists of over 1,000 items from three of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century fine book presses of the English Arts and Crafts movement: the Kelmscott Press, the Doves Press, and the Ashendene Press. The English Arts and Crafts movement inspired by the medieval period, sought to emulate the beauty of the medieval book through intricate and elegant engraved illustrations and typefaces. This collection includes a substantial number of these three legendary private presses’ completed works, along with many items relating to the history and production of the presses, such as prospectuses, correspondence, and proof pages. This collections strengths lays in its comprehensiveness, including nearly every book and ephemeral item, recorded and unrecorded, that these three presses produced. The collection includes what is considered the Triple Crown of fine press publications: the Kelmscott Press’s stunning The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (1896), the Doves Press The English Bible (1903-05), and the Ashendene Press’s folio edition of Dante’s Divine Comedy, Tutte le opere di Dante Alighieri fiorentino (1909). This collection provides both a visual and textual history of the English Arts and Crafts movement. The items are divided into four series: Series 01: Kelmscott Press, Series 02: Doves Press, Series 03: Ashendene Press, and Series 04: Reference Materials.

Dates

  • Creation: 1669-2014
  • Other: Majority of material found in ( 1890-1935)

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Conditions Governing Use

Users of the collection must read and agree to abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the Materials Use Policies. Providing access to materials does not constitute permission to publish or otherwise authorize use. All publication not covered by fair use or other exceptions is restricted to those who have permission of the copyright holder, which may or may not be Washington University. If you wish to publish or license Special Collections materials, please contact Special Collections to inquire about copyright status at (314) 935-5495 or spec@wumail.wustl.edu. (Publish means quotation in whole or in part in seminar or term papers, theses or dissertations, journal articles, monographs, books, digital forms, photographs, images, dramatic presentations, transcriptions, or any other form prepared for a limited or general public.)

Extent

1060.00 items

Biographical or Historical Information

The Washington University Library purchased the Triple Crown Collection in 2000 from Charles P. Gould through Bromer Booksellers. The Triple Crown Collection was built over nearly 70 years since the 1930s by Charles P. Gould, a book collector from Pasadena, California, and includes a substantial number of original private press books, materials used towards the creations of the books, such as prospectuses, sketches, and proofs, correspondence, and catalogues. Gould normally acquired his books as single items, and completed his collection a year before its purchase by Washington University. In 2005 the Library purchased the Eric Gill Collection, which was also collected by Charles P. Gould, and includes over 400 items of another member of the Arts and Craft’s movement’s work, Eric Gill’s books, printings, drawings, correspondence, and engraved woodblocks for printing.

Note written by

Arrangement Note

The Triple Crown Collection has been arranged into four series: Kelmscott Press, Doves Press, Ashendene Press, and Reference Materials.

Title
Triple Crown Collection
Author
Washington University Rare Books
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
eng

Collecting Area Details

Part of the Rare Books Collecting Area

Contact:
Cassie Brand, Curator of Rare Books
MSC 1061-141-B
1 Brookings Drive
St. Louis MO 63130 US
(314) 935-5495