It is sometimes easy to forget how the private press revolution, born from the early presses of the nineteenth (and previous) centuries and spurred on by William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, was actually a world-wide phenomenon before and after the First World War. Many collectors focus on the English private presses of the American institutes, in particular the London scene or those presses associated with academia.
One of these forgotten gems that still plays an active educational role to this day is the Gregynog Press, later turning into the GwasgGregynog. The Gregynog Press was originally a philanthropic venture by two sisters in the early nineteen hundreds, starting on a miniature Albion Press, before moving up to the Victoria Platen and finally the Heidelberg automated press. Luckily, their close association with the National Library of Wales allowed them to be well regarded by the Welsh literary and publishing scene, thus ensuring their continued existence.
Today, the Gwasg Gregynog is a private press which excels at items of Welsh history, folklore and personality, including early bibles, poetic works by Dylan Thomas and Ted Hughes. While they may not have the same artistic flair for innovation as other private presses have, they have remained a solid link to the history of the private press in Wales, and any whose personal collection feature elements of Welsh history should look no further.
For the collector, they can do well to specialize in the different periods of the Press's operation, looking to the volumes created on each press (the Albion, the Platen and later the Hiedelberg) for differences in type and design. Those who specialize in Welsh History will also find marvelous opportunities to collect limited and rare works of Welsh Song, Poetry and religious concordance.
Links: http://www.gwasg-gregynog.co.uk/methods.php
Vaughan, Henry. Poems. Gregynog Press (1924). 500 copies; wood engravings and decorations by R.A.Maynard and H.W.Bray
Thomas, Edward. Chosen Essays. Gregynog Press (1926). 250 copies; wood engravings by Robert Ashwin Maynard and Horace Walter Bray
Jones, T Gwynn. Detholiad O Ganiadau. Gregynog Press (1926). 9 wood engravings by A. Maynard; 474 copies
Jones, David. Llyfr y Pregeth-Wr. Gregynog Press (1927). Text of Ecclesiastes from the Welsh Bible of 1588; 250. copies; two David Jones wood-engravings
Thomas, Edward. Selected Poems. Gregynog Press (1927).
,. The Life of Saint David. Gregynog Press (1927). 175 copies; 25 wood engravings by RA Maynard and HW Bray, hand colored
Lord Herbert of Cherbury,. Autobiography. Gregynog Press (1928). Wood engravings by Horace Walter Bray; 300 numbered copies
Morris-Jones, John. Penillion Omar Khayyam. Gregynog Press (1928). 310 copies; 10 wood engravings by R A Maynard
Davies, W H. Selected Poems.. Gregynog Press (1928). 310 copies; wood engraved frontis of Davies after painting by Augustus John
Herbert, Edward. The Autobiography of Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbury. With an introduction by C.H. Herford. Gregynog Press (1928). woodcuts by Horace Bray; 300 copies
Peacock, T L. The Misfortunes of Elphin. Gregynog Press (1928). 250 copies; wood engravings by Horace Walter Bray
Lamb, Charles. Elia and The Last Essays of Elia. Gregynog Press (1929). 2 vols; wood-engravings by Horace Walter Bray; 285 copies
,. Elphin Lloyd Jones. Gregynog Press (1929). 3 wood engravings by R.A. Maynard
,. Psalmau Dafydd. Gregynog Press (1929). 225 copies; calligraphed by Horace Bray; wood-engraved flowering vines
Rossetti, Christina. Poems Chosen By Walter De La Mare. Gregynog Press (1930). 300 copies; openings and frontispiece portrait by Maynard after drawings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Maynard, Robert Ashwin. The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare. Gregynog Press (1930). 275 copies
Blunt, Lady Anne. The Stealing of the Mare. Gregynog Press (1930). 275 copies
Milton, John. Comus. Gregynog Press (1931). 7 wood engravings by Blair Hughes-Stanton; 250 copies
Euripedes,. Plays of Euripides. Gregynog Press (1931). 2 vols; 500 copies
,. Syr John Rhys 1840.1915. Gregynog Press (1931). two engravings by William MacCance
Aesop,. The Fables of Esope. Gregynog Press (1931). 37 engravings on wood by Agnes Miller Parker; 250 copies
Vansittart, Robert. Singing Caravan. Gregynog Press (1932). 250 copies; frontispiece and several decorated initial letters designed and engraved by William MacCance
Jones, Thomas. A Theme With Variations. Gregynog Press (1933). 175 copies
,. Caniadau. Gregynog Press (1933). 450 copies; 4 engravings by Blair Hughes-Stanton
Edwards, Owen. Clych Atgof. Gregynog Press (1933). Remembrance of bells. A chapter in the history of education; woodcut frontispiece and 7 pictorial initials by W. MacCance
Milton, John. Four Poems. Gregynog Press (1933). 250 copies; 3 full page engravings and six vignettes by Blair Hughes-Stanton
Davies, W H. The Lovers' Song-Book. Gregynog Press (1933). 250 copies
Sampson, John. XXI Welsh Gypsy Folk-Tales. Gregynog Press (1933). Engravings on wood by Agnes Miller Parker; 250 copies
Haberly, Loyd. Anne Boleyn and Other Poems. Gregynog Press (1934). Initial letters designed by Graily Hewitt; 300 copies
De Madariaga, Salvador. Don Quixote. Gregynog Press (1934). 250 copies
Bridges, Robert. Eros and Psyche. Gregynog Press (1935). A Poem in XII measures by Robert Bridges; 24 wood engravings by Edward Burn-Jones; 300 copies
Waddell, Helen. New York City. Gregynog Press (1935). 350 copies
Henry, Thomas. The Star of Seville. Gregynog Press (1935). 175 copies
Fortescue, Hon J W. The Story of a Red-Deer. Gregynog Press (1935). 250 copies; title vignette and 11 coloured illustrations by Dorothy Burroughes
Greville, Fulke. Caelica. Gregynog Press (1936). 225 copies
Milton,. On the Morning of Christ's Nativity. Gregynog Press (1937). 250 copies; wood engraving by Alison McKenzie
,. The Fifth Festival of Music and Poetry at Gregynog. Gregynog Press (1937).
Hartzenbusch, Juan Eugenio. Lovers of Teruel. Gregynog Press (1938). 175 copies on Batchelor handmade paper
Guevara, Don Antonio de. The Praise and Happinesse of the Countrie-Life. Gregynog Press (1938). 400 copies; 7 wood-engravings by Reynolds Stone
Shaw, Bernard. Shaw Gives Himself Away. Gregynog Press (1939). An Autobiographical Miscellany; frontispiece portrait wood engraving by John Farleigh; 300 copies
Wynne, Ellis. Gweledigaetheu y Bardd Cwsc. Gregynog Press (1940). Visions of the Sleeping BardIn; 1175 copies; bilingual text, Welsh and English
Abercrombie, Lascelles. Lyrics and Unfinished Poems. Gregynog Press (1940). 175 copies
Wynne, Ellis. Visions of the Sleeping Bard. Gregynog Press (1940). 175 copies only; frontis by Blair Hughes-Stanton
Jones, Thomas. The Gregynog Press. Gregynog Press (1954). 750 copies
Ormond, John. Cathedral Builders and Other Poems. Gregynog Press (1991).
Davies, Gareth Alban. The Pleasant History of Lazarillo de Tormes. Gregynog Press (1991). 200 copies; wood engravings by Frank Martin
Ryder, John. Intimate Leaves from a Designer's Notebook. Gregynog Press (1993).
Hooker, Jeremy. Inwards Where All the Battle Is. Gregynog Press (1997). 300 copies; illustrated by David Gentleman
Dowd, Anthony. The Special Bindings of Gwasg Gregynog. Gregynog Press (2004). A Catalogue Compiled and Introduced by Anthony Dowd and Including a Memoir by James Brockman; 215 copies