WILLIAM MORRIS, BOOK COLLECTOR EXHIBITION AT THE WELLCOME INSTITUTE William Morris's library, housed at Kelmscott House, Hammersmith, reflected his many interests. Although it contained many fine manuscripts and early printed books, it was primarily a working collection. Herbals were acquired both as source-material for designs and for practical information on the uses of plants. His interest in reviving vegetable dyes led him to collect early dyeing manuals. He also acquired a comprehensive collection of works on Scandinavia and Northern Europe, particularly the Icelandic sagas. The foundation of the Kelmscott Press and his interest in book design and production resulted in the acquisition of both bibliographical reference works and examples of illuminated manuscripts and early printed books. After Morris's death in 1896, most of his library was bought by Richard Bennett, of Pendleton, a fastidious collector who selected some items for himself, auctioning the remainder at Sotheby's in a celebrated sale, which raised nearly £11,000. The books Bennett kept were sold in 1902 to J. Pierpont Morgan for his New York Library. Henry Wellcome, then just starting to collect, purchased the largest quantity of material at the 1898 sale. This selection was heavily weeded after his death. The Wellcome Institute Library now has about 220 items, the largest remaining cache after the Pierpont Morgan Library. It retains a representative cross-section of Morris's interests. The exhibition is on view in the Library Reading Room during normal opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9.45am to 5.15pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 9.45am to 7.15pm; Sunday, 9.45am to 1pm. Click here to see the title-page from one of the books Morris owned, St. Catherine of Siena, The Orcharde of Syon (London: Wynkyn de Worde, 1519). For more information contact: Ken Arnold, exhibitions officer, Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 185 Euston Road, London NW1 3BE, Tel. 0171-611-8546. HOME · NEW · EVENTS · NEWSLETTER · SITE ARCHIVE · ABOUT THE SOCIETY MORRIS' LIFE AND WORKS · PRODUCTS · LINKS · SITE MAP · CONTACT US LAST UPDATE 4 JAN 2001 · PLEASE REPORT BROKEN LINKS TO WEBMASTER@MORRISSOCIETY.ORG