THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS

London: [Printed by C. Whittingham at the Chiswick Press for] Reeves and Turner, 1890. FIRST EDITION. ONE OF 250 COPIES. 206 x 168 mm. (8 1/8 x 6 1/2"). 4 p.l., 424 pp.
Bound (as usual) in Morris-designed floral-patterned linen, untrimmed edges. A Large Paper Copy. See: MacCarthy, "William Morris: A Life for Our Time," p. 608. Lower board just slightly warped, but the binding nevertheless extremely well preserved and retaining its unfaded colors. Rear hinge with multiple small tears, but the contents essentially pristine.

Published just one year before the founding of the Kelmscott Press, this work highlights William Morris' talents as a writer and designer, and marks a critical point on his journey to become one of the most celebrated printers in history. "Roots of the Mountains" is a fantasy set in an imagined Medieval world, blending heroic romance with socialist ideals. It was highly influential in the development of modern fantasy literature, particularly inspiring writers like J. R. R. Tolkien. At least as important here is the patterned binding, a product of the Morris line of fine merchandise, which included textiles, furniture, and (after 1891) finely printed books at the Kelmscott Press. Morris had considerable input as to the design of this "Superior Edition," printed on specially-commissioned Whatman paper and bound in a linen pattern of Morris' own design. In her biography of Morris, MacCarthy quotes the author/designer as saying, "I am so pleased with my book, typography, binding, and I must say it, literary matter--that I am any day to be seen huggling it up, and becom[ing] a spectacle to Gods and men because of it." It was soon after this experience that, Morris initiated serious plans for "turning printer" himself, "in a small way." (This is a modest understatement.) The spines of copies of this work are notoriously prone to browning, and the fragile book as a whole typically appears dilapidated, so the present nearly fine copy is particularly desirable..