William Morris (1834–1896) was a political and artistic visionary, championing socialist causes and the arts and crafts movement. He is well known even today for his textile designs and for his creation of the Kelmscott Press. The press was set up towards the end of Morris's life, in 1891 in Hammersmith, London. The ideals of the press were to produce beautiful and well-made volumes that followed the aesthetics and processes of early printing. Morris selected the works he would publish based on what he most loved to read; this included works by Chaucer and other classic English writers, as well as his own works. Morris even designed the typefaces used by the press.

'The Glittering Plain' is a fantasy novel, and a precursor to much twentieth-century fantasy fiction which combines a pseudo-historical setting with elements of the supernatural. In content and design, the novel is heavily influenced by medieval European culture.

The first edition of 'The Glittering Plain' was printed in the Press's inaugural year of 1891, and was reissued in 1894, expanded and illustrated with woodcuts after Walter Crane (1845–1915). This is a copy of the 1894 edition; as well as Crane's illustrations the book is embellished with decorative initials and floral borders, and with chapter titles printed in red.