Dolmen Press Collection, Printing Blocks Series
MS1007
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
English
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
31
Linear Feet
31 artifact boxes, 1 document box, 1 half-document box
1903
1987
The Dolmen Press was founded by Liam and Josephine Miller in 1951. The Press operated in Dublin from 1951 until Liam Miller's death in 1987. Founded to provide a publishing outlet for Irish poetry, the Press also heavily featured the work of Irish artists. This series consists of printing blocks used by the Dolmen Press. A number of Cuala Press printing blocks are also included. The blocks range in date from 1902 to 1985, with the bulk of the blocks dating from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s. The blocks include wood engravings, wood cuts, linocuts and various metal plates. Paper prints of each block are also in the collection.
Dolmen Press
Biographical and Historical Note
The Dolmen Press was founded by Liam and Josephine Miller in 1951. The Press operated in Dublin from 1951 until Liam Miller's death in 1987. Founded to provide a publishing outlet for Irish poetry, the Press also heavily featured the work of Irish artists. The scope of the press grew to include prose literature by Irish authors as well as a broad range of critical works about Irish literature and theater.
Collection Overview
This series consists of printing blocks used by the Dolmen Press. A number of Cuala Press printing blocks are also included. The blocks range in date from 1902 to 1985, with the bulk of the blocks dating from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s. The blocks include wood engravings, wood cuts, linocuts and various metal plates. Major artists featured in the series include Tate Adams, Ruth Brandt, Pauline Bewick, Juanita Casey, Bernard Childs, Jack Coughlin, Mia Cranwill, Louis LeBrocquy, Leslie MacWeeney, Michael Morrow, Elizabeth Rivers, Bridget Swinton, and Leonard Baskin. Paper prints of each block are also in the collection.
Arrangement
this collection's items are arranged by artist and publication title, if known; by title, when artists are unidentified; or by subject.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], MS 1007, Dolmen Press Collection, Printing Blocks Series, Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use.
Copyright Notice
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question or their descendants, unless otherwise designated. Users of this collection are responsible for using the materials in conformance with U.S. copyright law.
Processing Information
Processed by Jennifer O'Brien Roper and Craig Fansler, November 2004. Encoded by Jennifer O'Brien Roper and Craig Fansler, December 2004
Acquisitions Information
Purchased from Josephine Miller, September 1987.
Block printing
Private press books -- Ireland -- 20th century
Publishers and publishing -- Ireland -- 20th century
Artists19031987Adams, Tate, 1922-155Publication IllustrationsAdams, Tate, 1922- <part>Soul Cages</part>Man in boat, man rowing, man in boat/hat, man upside down/water, man at tale/underwater, shipwreck, 2 mermaids, cages, ship/men in sea/cages, men in cages, man swirling water, man holding net/boat, man inside/mermaid tail, man on road, man holding fish, man holding cage, upside down man/water, man in waves, man in window, man/front of house, man in boat, cages/fish (wood engravings, one zinc plate)Colum, Mary. <part>The Dirge of the Lone Woman</part>Woman/figure in doorway(wood engraving)The New Dolmen ChapbookMan/folded arms(wood engraving and zinc plates)Synge, J. M. (John Millington), 1871-1909. <part>Riders to the Sea</part>Abstract 4-color illustration(zinc plate)Ussher, Arland. <part>Enter These Enchanted Woods</part>Girl and bird image, girl with open mouth,girl/old woman/girl/owls, girls/birds/ship/rain, bearded man/woman, girl/owl/castle, bearded man/2 girls, man/deer in woods, man holding girl's arm, woman with ax/man, boy/girl/owl, boy/bull, girl/horse, girl/passed out man (zinc plates)MiscellaneousWoman on shore/man, man looking at a woman, man in hat peering around a wall,man looking at a woman in a carnival, village scene(wood engravings and zinc plates)Baskin, Leonard 1922-156Publication IllustrationsClark, David R. <part>A Tower of Polished Black Stones</part>Linear drawing of a manBeardsley, Aubrey Vincent, 1872-1898Publication IllustrationsHogan, Robert Goode, 1930-. <part>The Irish Literary Theatre 1899-1901</part>Cover image, dot pattern, image of a woman (3 zinc plates)Bewick, Pauline, 1935-Publication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>33 Triads</part>Abstract figure drawing, woman's face, man/woman/large face, abstract face-drawing, abstract faces, abstract design, crowned king/sceptre, linear torso drawingMiscellaneousAbstract design(signed by the artist),line drawing(signed by the artist),woman in shawl holding a baby(signed "Bewick"),three men facing a woman(line drawing)no contentBiggs, Michael, 1928-1993Publication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Another September</part>linocut(The Dolmen Press)Merriman, Brian, circa 1747-1805. <part>The Midnight Court</part>Frontispiece,woman pointing at man, lake between trees, woman/crying baby, woman/outstretched arms, woman/sleeping man, The Second Part, cover image, page before text begins, woman in oval with leaves, woman over sleeping man, landscape with lake, woman holding crying baby, woman pointing at cowering man, woman on shore/man (wood engravings, zinc and copper plates, and linocuts)MiscellaneousThe Nativity from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke, nativity scene, Mary and Joseph nativity scene, Mary, Joseph and Jesus on a donkey, text)"I have sworn upon the altar of God"), Gaelic alphabet, Christmas card, 3 arches/Mary/Jesus/Joseph/man with staff and raised finger speakingno contentAlphabet and numbers156Boske, Joachim157Publication IllustrationsMacCall, Seamus. <part>A Little History of Ireland</part>cover drawingBrandt, RuthPublication IllustrationsIrvine, John. <part>A Treasury of Irish Saints</part>Saint pointing at serpent, angel before a saint, St. Francis/animals, saint/walking stick, saint/bird in hand, saint in interior/crane, saint reading/rooster, female saint/cow/pails, 3 saints/trees, small St. Francis, large St. Francis, saint in boat at sea, saint /lance before flaming altar, saint in front of crowd, saint in garden, woman/child in cradle(copper plates)Powell-Anderson, Constance. <part>Barren</part>cover drawing of woman holding a basket(zinc)Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. <part>Forget-Me-Not</part>flying horse(zinc plate)Kinsela, Thomas. <part>Nightwalker</part>title text(copper plate)Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. <part>Singing Men at Cashel</part>color field plate for columns background on book cover, color field plate for monks background on book cover, line art for monks and columns(copper plates)Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. <part>The Bright Temptation</part>tree color plate, line art(zinc plates)O'Connor, Frank, 1903-1966. <part>The Little Monasteries</part>2 zinc platesKinsella, Thomas. <part>Wormwood</part>title text(2 copper plates)MiscellaneousAlbion handpress drawing from Dolmen bibliography (zinc plate)no contentCasey, JuanitaPublication IllustrationsPowell-Anderson, Constance. <part>Barren</part>spotted horse(zinc)Casey, Juanita. <part>The Circus</part>large "X" shape(zinc)Casey, Juanita. <part>The Horse of Selene</part>spotted horse running(2 zinc plates)Childs, Bernard, 1910-1985Publication IllustrationsClarke, Austin, 1896-1974. <part>Collected Poems</part>portrait of Clarke, dust jacket portrait, portrait drawing, Child's signature(zinc plates)Borges, Jorge. <part>Irish Strategies</part>2 viking figures, figure, running figure,figure from side,cross/crescent, stippled figure(zinc plates)MiscellaneousScribbled portrait of a man, portrait of Austin Clarke (zinc plates)no contentClarke, Harry, 1889-1931Publication IllustrationsMiller,Liam. <part>Retrospect</part> (in <part>The Dublin Magazine</part>, 1923)fancy dressed couple with poodlesCoughlin, JackPublication IllustrationsHalpern, Susan P. <part>Austin Clarke: his life and works</part>portrait medallion of Austin Clarke(zinc)Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939. <part>Druid Craft</part>pencil drawing of W.B. Yeats(zinc plate)Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. <part>Mnemosyne Lay in dust</part>birds/owl/face, dust jacket image(2 zinc plates)Synge, J. M. (John Millington), 1871-1909. <part>Some sonnets from "Laura in Death"</part>Petrarch/Synge, portrait medallion of J.M. Synge, Francesco Petrarch, "Francesco Petrarcha", "J.M. Synge"(zinc plates)Cranwill, Mia158Publication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Sons of Usnech</part>And Their Death?, Conchobor in his royal, On the next day a fair, man holding drinking cup, woman (zinc and brass plates)Milne, Ewart, 1903-. <part>Gallion</part>Title page, decorative block (zinc plates)<part>Across the Meadow</part>Victorian house/driveway (zinc plate)Miscellaneous5 knights with spears/small boy in leaves (zinc plate)Da Vinci, Leonardo, 1452-1519MiscellaneousDrawing of a woman (copper plate)Derricke, JohnPublication IllustrationsMontague, John. <part>Rough Field</part>Home again, Leaping fire, The bread god, Severed head, The Fault, A good night, Hymn to the Omagh Road, New Siege, Patriotic suite, Wild dog rose, man playing lyre, title page, epilogue, lyre/oval (zinc plate)Dominic, ZoëPublication IllustrationsReid, Alec, 1921-. <part>All I Can Manage, More Than I Could</part>Portrait of Jack MacGowran (zinc plate)Farrell, Don A.Publication IllustrationsFitzmaurice, George. <part>Realistic Plays</part>Three faces in landscape (zinc)Gelderen, Gerritt vanPublication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Faeth Fladha</part>Raindeer woodcut, saint with staff (Two linocuts, one zinc plate)MiscellaneousWedding invitationPeople in a boat/animals/houseGregory, William Robert, 1881-1918MiscellaneousBookplate with heart/club/spade/diamond, Charging unicorn (Dun Emer Press device) (zinc plates)Gyles, AltheaMiscellaneousBinding device for the Secret Rose (zinc plates)Hayter, Stanley William, 1901-159Publication IllustrationsMontague, John. <part>Tides</part>Circular blocks (zinc plates)Le Brocquy, Louis, 1916-Publication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Tain</part>Two birds facing each other, figures, figures/arms, small plates, animal figure, baby, battle scene, birds, bird-brush painting, running figures, cow, crow, dog, face/mask, fighting figures, figure with shield, flight of birds, horses, kneeling figure, running dog (zinc plates)Tain cover block158MacWeeney, Leslie160Publication IllustrationsMacDonagh, Donagh, 1912-1968. <part>Warning to the Conquerors</part>Two figures in cloaks (zinc plate)Macentee, Maíre. <part>Heart Full of Thought</part>Woman with hands in hair (zinc plate)Ussher, Arland. <part>Thoughts of Wi Wong</part>Frontispiece, background block (wood engraving, linocut)Ussher, Arland. <part>XXII Keys of the Tarot</part>Juggler, empress, pope, lover, chariot, justice, hermit, wheel of fortune, hanged man, star, moon, sun, judgement, world, strength, travelling man/dog, man using table/tools, woman reading book, death, king holding mace, angel holding jugs, horned devil, castle on fire (zinc plate, copper plate, linocut)MiscellaneousWomen, St. Matthew nativity, Loves of Bregog and Mulla (zinc plates)no contentMcCarthy, JohnPublication IllustrationsWharton, Gordon, 1929-. <part>Fable of King Canute</part>King looking in mirror, king on throne, woman walking toward cabin, man riding horse, king on throne before ocean, vikings, bearded king portrait (zinc plates)McGuiness, NorahPublication IllustrationsFitzmaurice, George. <part>Dandy Dolls</part>Woman in dress on cliff (zinc plates)Mellingham, T.Publication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Faeth Fladha</part>Figure (zinc plate)Metcalf, PercyPublication IllustrationsCleeve, Brian Talbot, 1921-. <part>W.B. Yeats and Designing of Ireland's Coinage</part>Bull shilling (zinc plate)Miller, LiamPublication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Starlit Eye</part>Zinc plateWarner, Alan, 1912-. <part>Clay is the Word</part>Cover image (zinc plate)MiscellaneousPortrait of SyngeMonsell, ElinorMiscellaneousDun Emer Pressmark/Lady Emer and tree (zinc)Morrow, MichaelPublication IllustrationsKennedy, Maurice. <part>Freebooters</part>Man playing squeezebox, man holding reins, cover image, last page of text, wagons in landscape, title page illustration, (linocuts)Ussher, Arland. <part>Alphabet of Aphorisms</part>Title page, cover image, owl (linocuts)MiscellaneousMan carrying lamb/sleeping under treeO'Sullivan, SeanPublication IllustrationsO'Brien, Flann, 1911-1966. <part>An Beal Bocht</part>Two men with clubhttp://dspace.zsr.wfu.edu/ead/seals, man holding fish (zinc plates)Patton, Eric161Publication IllustrationsMacDonagh, Donagh, 1912-1968. <part>Ballad of Jane Shore</part>Nude woman/city (linocut, zinc plate)Pike, BridgetMiscellaneousHouse/landscape (zinc plate)Rivers, ElizabethPublication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Poems</part>Rooster on circle (wood engraving, zinc plate)Rivers, Elizabeth. <part>Initium s. evangelii secundum S. Joannem</part>Figures, title page, cover (wood engravings and zinc plate)Rivers, Elizabeth. <part>Out of Bedlam</part>Sunrise/tree/bird, man/tree/sunrise/tears, arch/stream, geometric shapes, figure/city in circle, man with outstretched arms, man on sphere, man/windows/teardop, group of figures, figures in doorway, sun/landscape, rain clouds, figures/triangle, figures/sun, sun/clouds, birds/flower/sun, men/moon, birds/sunrise, reclining man/tree, arch/doorway, windows, bells, figure in cityscape (wood engravings, zinc plates)MiscellaneousAngel, bird in landscape, bridge/wires/island, Christmas Card, entering city/Mary on donkey/angel/star,fishermen with nets, gathering of angels, Jesus with crown of thorns, man wearing hat with umbrella walking, man with crossed arms/star, men loading hay on donkey, nativity scene/angles/star/shepherds, nativity scene/Joseph/Mary/animals, nativity scene/star/shepherds, nativity scene/star/shephers/angel, nativity scene/stars/men on horses, two angels (wood engravings, copper plate, linocuts)H. Neville Roberts162Publication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Faeth Fladha</part>Decorated bell, figures (zinc plates)Thomas RyanPublication IllustrationsMcCormack, William. <part>Festscrift for Francis Stuart</part>Portrait of Francis Stuart (zinc plate)Solomons, Estella F.Publication IllustratiosnO'Sullivan, Séamus and Solomons, Estella F. (Estella Frances), 1882-1968. <part>Retrospect: work of Estella F. Solomons</part>landscape drawing, portrait, self portrait, woman reading a paper, country lane, tree-lined lake/swan, man smoking a pipe, view of hotel courtyard, landscape drawing, library interior, portrait of bearded man, portrait of woman (zinc plates)Swinton, BridgetPublication IllustrationsKinsella, Thomas. <part>Sons of Usnech</part>Line drawing (zinc plates)Stanyhurst, Richard, 1547-1618. <part>Aqua Vitae</part>reclining man/drinking, wheat stalk, man drinking, man with cup/spitting, reclining man/drinking, man holding glass/spitting, man drinking, man drinking man spitting, reclining man/drinking, first page of text, man/glass (linocuts, zinc plates)MiscellaneousCards (zinc plates)Yeats, AnnePublication IllustrationsDevlin, Denis. <part>Heavenly Foreigner</part>Zinc plateYeats, Jack Butler, 1871-1957Publication IllustrationsBerry, James, 1842-1914. <part>Tales of the West of Ireland</part>Man on horse with sword (zinc plate)Yeats, Jack Butler, 1871-1957. <part>In Sand</part>Interior drawing (zinc plate)Illustrations by title (Artist unidentified)19421987Abbey Theatre logo, Ballintubber Alley, Behan, Brendan. <part>Borstal Boy</part>, <part>Bibliography of the Dolmen Press</part>, <part>Book of Kells</part>, Bookplates (Brigid Morrow, Clinton, Francis O'Callaghan, George Yeats, John Quinn, Maeve Barrington, S.W. Wright and Deborah Brown, T.A. Wallace, W.B. Yeats, Andre L. Flynn, Brian and Mary Boydell, Maurice Kennedy), Boucicault, Dion, 1820-1890(Unidentified text), Brennan, Martin, 1942-. <part>Boyne Valley Vision</part>, Broadside (<part>Compeachey Picture</part>), Carol of Mary, Carrowmore, Daiken, Leslie H.. <part>Out Goes She</part>, Various Dolmen logos, Various Dun Emer plates, Eliza Beaumont signature, Emerald Isle album, Esso logo, Gaiety Theatre programme, Good friend for Jesus' sake, Freyer, Michael G., Guiness for Literati (ads), Giraldus Cambrensis, Gibbings.163Casey, Juanita. Horse of Selene, Casey, Juanita. Horse By the River, <part>George Petrie and the Ancient Music of Ireland</part>, Irish Chronicle, Papal seal, Montague, John. Rough Field, Montague, John. Patriotic Suit, Kavanaugh, Patrick, Kinsella, Thomas. New Poems, Irish Book Society, Georgesville No.1, Liffey, Anne, 1907-(angel image), Londonderry, Intermediate Education board for Ireland, Irish Writing, Miller, William, Nanur, Hanly, John, Irish Association logo, Irish Book logo, Irish Club logo164Christmas cards, Naightheadh, New Yeats papers, Plunket, Oliver, Saint, 1629-1681, Peppercanister Press logo, Poetry Book Society, Preludium, O'Sullivan, Séamus and Solomons, Estella F. (Estella Frances), 1882-1968. Retrospect, the work of Estella F. Solomons, Shakespeare portraits, Singing men of Casehl, St. Stephens Green (Dublin), Synge, J. M. (John Millington), 1871-1909, Tower series logo165Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939. Here in the Seven woods, Yeats, Jack Butler, 1871-1957. In Sand, Stephens, James (portrait), Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. Selected Poems, Stage Design at the Abbey Theatre, Yeats and the Irish Renaissance, Yeats and the Noh, Z Studio logo166Other blocks19421987By subject: Animals, buildings, nature167By subject: People168169Lead type, general170Unidentified general blocks171