A hand list of Kelly’s 1964 folio
by David Shields. Average Reading Time: about 8 minutes.
.
Kelly, Rob Roy. Wood type; specimens of nineteenth-century American wood type with introductory notes. Kansas City, Mo: Rob Roy Kelly, 1964. Print.
Issued in a tan buckram covered solander box with printed paper label on front cover, titled: Wood type; specimens of nineteenth-century American wood type with introductory notes. Consists of introductory notes and index bound in printed paper wrappers with black plastic spiral spine titled: American Wood Types 1828–1900, Volume One; 95 loose broadside plates, numbered, displaying 130 complete alphabets, some printed in black and red, and 2 additional unnumbered leaves showing some woodcuts used in that period. Text by Rob Roy Kelly, with editing by Georgia O‘Connor. Part of the text was previously published in Design Quarterly 56, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Limited edition of 45 copies pulled on a hand press from wooden type. 35 copies distributed by the Chiswick Book Shop, 45 West 57th Street, New York City.
Final versions of folio page 1 (left) and page 45 (right).
Of the 45 numbered copies produced, 32 are held in known locations documented as follows. The bibliographic descriptions and library call numbers are copied from each institution. Acquisition information is included where known. As yet unlocated folio numbers marked in red.
No 1
Theodore R. McKeldin Library, University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
[11] p., [97] leaves of plates : ill. ; 58 cm.
Special Collections Oversize Z250 .K4 1964
No 2
No 3
No 4
Letterform Archive
San Francisco, California
1 portfolio ([12] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill.); 61 cm.
Type Reference Kelly Folio
This copy was previously listed for sale in Blackwell’s Rare Books, catalog B16 (c.2010).
No 5
No 6
No 7
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Library
Queens, New York
[12] p., plus 97 plates, in portfolio.
MoMA Queens Special Collections Flat 65 K35
No 8
American Antiquarian Society
Worcester, Massachusetts
6 leaves : ill., 97 plates ; 57.3 cm.
Z698 K29 And PF
Purchased from the Chiswick Book Shop on September 14, 1964.
No 9
No 10
No 11
Graphic Arts Collection (GAX), Princeton University Library
Princeton, New Jersey
[10] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill. (woodcuts) ; 60 cm.
Oversize 2014-0022E
No 12
Bird Library, Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
7 leaves, 97 specimen sheets ; 57 cm.
Bird-Special Collection Z250.5.K29 A5 ff
No 13
Butler Rare Books & Manuscripts Library, Columbia University
New York City, New York
v. illus., plates.
BOOKART Z250 .K29 1964
Acquired by means of the Albert Ulmann Fund for the Graphic Arts Collection.
No 14
John M. Wing Foundation on the History of Printing Collection
Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois
[12] p., 97 leaves of plates (some col.) ; 61 cm.
Case Wing oversize Z 40583 .4595
No 15
The Robertson Davies Library, Massey College, University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
1 portfolio ([10] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates) : ill. ; 59 cm
Rare Book BIB K29.9 am 1964 FF
No 16
Hugh M. Morris Library, University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
1 portfolio ([12] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill.) ; 60 cm.
Special Collections Z 250.A2 K45x 1964
Includes two sheets displaying Morgan Press headliner type not included in pagination, measuring 28 cm.
No 17
Amherst College Library
Amherst, Massachusetts
6 ℓ. : ill., 97 plates ; 57.3 cm
Archives & Special Collections / xx / RBR US 1964 K2
No 18
The Robert Grabhorn Collection, Book Arts & Special Collections Center,
San Francisco Public Library
San Francisco, California
[12] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill. ; 57 cm, in case 60 cm
MAIN – 6th Floor – SpColl Stacks – Oversize Flat, GRABHORN TYP REF
No 19
William Colgate Printing Collection, Rare Books Library, McGill University
Montreal, Canada
[10] p., [97] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 60 cm.
Colgate I. Kelly
No 20
Pratt Institute Libraries
Brooklyn, New York
[12] p., 97 leaves of plates (some col.) ; 61cm.
Brooklyn Closed Stacks Oversize 745.6 K29
Date stamped, December 14, 1964 (unclear if this is an acquisition or processing date).
No 21
Godwin-Ternbach Museum Library, Queens College
Flushing, New York
12 page bound introduction, 95 individual sheets
Shelf 30B
Presented as a gift to the Museum; cataloged June 1, 2011.
Credit and heartfelt thanks to Susan Shaw for connecting this copy to the list.
No 22
Special Collections & University Archives, San Diego State University Library
San Diego, California
1 portfolio ([12] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill.) ; 61 × 48 cm
Special Collections Folio Z250.A2 K45 1964
Gift of Dick B. Yale, 2002.
No 23
Rare Books Collection, Andersen Library, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Minneapolis, Minnesota
1 portfolio (12 unnumbered pages, 95 pages, 2 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations) ; 61 × 48 cm.; volume
Flat Z 019.31 f Am355
No 24
Fine Arts Library, Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
v. illus., plates. Issued in portfolio.
Special Collections Z250 .A2 K29
Purchased at Chiswick Book Shop, Aug. 19, 1964, for $75.00, it should be noted that correspondence between Al Gowan and Rob Roy Kelly about the acquisition of this particular volume is held at the Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas, Austin.
No 25
No 26
Grolier Club
New York City, New York
[10] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill. (woodcuts) ; 60 cm.
\35.2\K29\1964\Folio 12/31/99 C
Acquired 2002, excellent condition with slight wear on lower spine and edges and water spots on box cover, coil binding in good shape all pages in good condition.
No 27
No 28
Toronto Public Library, Special Art Room Stacks
Toronto, Canada
Vol. 1: [10] p., [97] leaves of plates
Special Collections Oversize, 655.24 K25 V. 1
No 29
Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
[12] p., 97 leaves of plates (some col.) ; 61cm.
Special Collections Oversize ** Z250.K298a
No 30
No 31
No 32
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas, Austin
Austin, Texas
[12] p., 96 leaves of plates (some col.) ; 61cm., missing plate number 28
Acquired through Dr. Bernard Karpel in late 1966, transferred to the Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection held by the Design Division, College of Fine Arts in 1993. Karpel acquired this copy when he purchased the Collection from Kelly in mid-1966. In the acquisition files at the HRC, correspondence between Karpel and Donald Goodall, chair of the Department of Art, indicate that this was the “last unsold copy of the folio”.
.
No 33
Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
[10] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : plates ; 60 cm.
Z250.A2K4 1964 ff
Purchased with Caplan Funds December 13, 1984.
No 34
Private Collection
Megan O’Connell, Salt & Cedar, Detroit, Michigan
(full set, needs annotation & description)
No 35
Special Collections at the University of Arizona Libraries
Tucson, Arizona
[12] pages, 97 leaves of plates (some color) ; 61 cm..
Z250 .K4 1964
No 36
Baker-Berry Library, Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
[12] p., 97 leaves of plates (some col.) ; 61cm
Z250 .K4
No 37
No 38
Chapin Library, Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts
1 portfolio ([12] p., 95, [2] leaves of plates : ill.) ; 61 cm, lacks plate 65
Gr.Arts Kelly ffolio
Gift of William Gilger, III, September 1964.
No 39
Huntington Library
San Marino, California
1 v. (variously paged) : ill. (part col.) ; 60 cm
Rare Books 376980
No 40
Burton Historical Collection Rare Books, Detroit Public Library
Detroit, Michigan
6 . : ill., 97 plates ; 57.3 cm.
655.24 A53
This volume was originally held in the Technology & Science Dept of the DPL. Correspondence between Robert E Runser, Technology & Science Dept and Rob Roy Kelly about the acquisition of this particular volume is held at the Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas, Austin, and indicates that the folio was received before September 3, 1964, from the Chiswick Book Shop. The Library records the acquisition as a Purchase Gift of Friends of the Detroit Public Library, presented by the James B Tintbra Family In Memory of John F Polakovic.
No 41
No 42
No 43
Special Collections & Archives, Kent State University Library
Kent, Ohio
6 l. : ill., 97 plates ; 57.3 cm
Special Collections f Z250 .K4 1964
No 44
Cary Graphic Arts Collection, Wallace Library
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York
[12] p., 97 leaves of plates (some col.) ; 61 cm
x655.24 K29a / Flat 105356
Library also holds a second unnumbered/unsigned copy of introductory matter with plates numbered 72, 66 & 73 in binding.
No 45
Houghton Library, Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
6 ℓ. : ill., 97 plates ; 57.3 cm.
HOU PF TypTS 970.64.447
Gift of Henry Schniewind, November 27, 1970.
Final versions of fly sheet (left) and index page (right).
In addition to this list of 32 identified copies, locations of at least two complete folios have been narrowed though not yet confirmed.
Correspondence between Rob Roy Kelly and the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) dated September 8, 1964{1} indicated that Kelly donated a full folio to KCAI. Further research is needed as this folio is not included in KCAI’s online library catalog and the correspondence, unfortunately, does not indicate the edition number of Kelly’s donation. It has not yet been confirmed if the institution still holds a copy.
Information found online indicates that Swann Auction Galleries of New York City actioned a complete signed copy on June 4, 1998 (Lot 3) but do not indicate the number of the edition. They have not yet responded to inquiries for more information in regards to this transaction.
Final versions of folio page 73 (left) and page 86 (right).
In addition to the 45 complete folios, it seems smaller truncated sets were also made and distributed that included the pages of introductory text and index bound in printed paper wrappers with black plastic spiral spine and include three of the numbered broadside plates bound with the text. It is as yet unclear how many truncated sets were made available. Seven of these sets have been located.
Special Collections Library at the University of Kentucky holds a set with plates 70, 82 and 85 (Folio Collection 655.24 K298 Folio 344).
Special Collections at the University of Buffalo Library holds a set with plates 14, 29 and 71 (Rare Books Oversize Z250.A2 K35 1964).
The Milne Library at the State University of New York, Geneseo holds a set with plates 49, 57 and 58 (Special Collections X Z250.A2 K39, v.1).
The Cary Graphic Arts Collection at Rochester Institute of Technology, in addition to No 44 noted above, also holds a truncated set with plates numbered 66, 72 and 73.
Michael Babcock at interrobang letterpress holds a set with plates 18, 32 and 69.
The University of California, Santa Cruz, UCSC Library holds the 12-page introductory text and index bound in printed paper wrappers with black plastic spiral spine (Spec Coll Oversize Z250 .K45 1964). No plates are included.
Barbara Farnsworth, Bookseller, A.B.A.A. (West Cornwall, Connecticut) had a set for sale that included plates 29, 46 and 56.
It is my hope that with the publication of this list, locations of the remaining complete folio may come to light.
Final versions of bound cover (left) and text page (right).
- Paul, William D., Jr. Letter to Rob Roy Kelly. 8 September 1964. Rob Roy Kelly Correspondence, 1950–1970. The Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin. [↩]