This volume is an example from William Morris’ Kelmscott Press, set up in 1891 with the intention of creating beautiful books that reinterpreted medieval aesthetics. This press is often credited with inspiring the Private Press movement, in which publishing was pursued for artistic purposes rather than as a purely commercial venture.

The Kelmscott Press published Morris’ own works as well as his favourite literary texts. Beowulf is one of these: the oldest surviving poem composed in Old English which follows the fortunes of the Danish hero Beowulf as he travels the seas and fights monsters. This copy is a first edition, where the text appears in modern English translation provided by Morris himself and the scholar A. J. White. The book is visually striking: the text is elegantly printed in a medieval-esque typeface designed by Morris called ‘Troy’, including titles and marginal notes in red, while the margins are often decorated with lavish floral borders and each section is introduced by a decorated initial.

Bibliographic description
vi, [2], 119, [1] pages. Limited edition of 300 copies printed on paper, 8 on vellum. This copy is one of those printed on paper. "A note to the reader" printed on a slip in the Golden type is inserted in each copy. "Persons and places" and "The meaning of some words not commonly used now" listed at the end.

Binding description
Late 19th-century limp vellum with simple green silk ties, one of the typical binding styles of the Kelmscott Press.