The Romance of Sir Degrevaunt KELMSCOTT PRESS RARE BOOKS

8vo, 8 1/4 x 5 5/8 inches (208 x 145 mm); (4),81,(1) pp. Wood-engraved frontispiece by Burne-Jones, ornamental woodcut border to opening text page, three- and ten-line initials. Printed in red and black in Chaucer type and printed on fine, hand-made, Batchelor paper (with the second version of the Primrose watermark) , deckled edges. Bound in publisher's original quarter Holland-backed blue paper boards, with white linen spine and black titles to cover. Dated March 14, 1896 but only issued on Nov. 12, 1897, as the frontispiece by Burne-Jones was not completed until October, 1897. Woodcut frontispiece after Edward Coley Burne-Jones, within a floral border, and facing page with full woodcut floral page-border; colophon and the smaller, rectangular printer's device designed by Morris. One of 350 paper copies (plus 8 on vellum). Armorial bookplate of Thomas Bartlett pasted inside front cover. [Tomkinson 47, p. 120; Ransom 47, p. 330]. Sire Degrevaunt, one of three thrilling medieval romances handpicked by William Morris for his legendary Kelmscott Press, stands alongside Syr Ysambrace and Syr Percyvelle as a shining example of chivalric storytelling brought to life through artistic printing. Edited by Frederick Startridge Ellis, this edition draws primarily from the Cambridge manuscript (as printed by J.O. Halliwell), with rich additions and variations from the Thornton Romances housed in the Library of Lincoln Cathedral. Composed around 1440, Sire Degrevaunt is a vibrant Middle English romance admired for its gripping realism and intricate plot, told in the lyrical rhythm of tail-rhyme stanzas. It follows the noble young knight Degrevaunt on his perilous quest to win the heart of the bold and beautiful Melidor daughter of a rival earl. Sword clashes, heartfelt trials, and unexpected turns pave the way to a dramatic reconciliation and a triumph of true love. The romance even inspired Edward Burne-Jones to painted The Wedding Procession of Sire Degrevaunt on the walls of Red House, Morris s famed home. Morris s Kelmscott Press, established in 1890, was the heartbeat of the Private Press Movement a rebellion against the soulless mass production of the Industrial Age. Morris sought to revive the book as a work of art. Each Kelmscott book was a masterwork crafted with handmade paper, rich inks, and custom-designed typefaces, then bound by hand with meticulous care. Produced in small numbers, these books weren t just publications they were treasures. Today, they remain highly prized by collectors and bibliophiles alike, celebrated for their beauty, craftsmanship, and their place at the dawn of modern fine press printing.