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Dolmen Press Collection, Printing Blocks Series

Finding Aid & Inventory

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.

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Biographical and Historical Note

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.

this collection's items are arranged by artist and publication title, if known; by title, when artists are unidentified; or by subject.

Collection Inventory

Artists (1903-1987)
- Adams, Tate, 1922- box 155
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Adams, Tate, 1922- Soul Cages
    - Colum, Mary. The Dirge of the Lone Woman
    - The New Dolmen Chapbook
    - Synge, J. M. (John Millington), 1871-1909. Riders to the Sea
    - Ussher, Arland. Enter These Enchanted Woods
  - Miscellaneous
- Baskin, Leonard 1922- box 156
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Clark, David R. A Tower of Polished Black Stones
- Beardsley, Aubrey Vincent, 1872-1898
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Hogan, Robert Goode, 1930-. The Irish Literary Theatre 1899-1901
- Bewick, Pauline, 1935-
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. 33 Triads
  - Miscellaneous
    - Abstract 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)
- Biggs, Michael, 1928-1993
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Another September
    - Merriman, Brian, circa 1747-1805. The Midnight Court
  - Miscellaneous
    - The 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 speaking
    - Alphabet and numbers box 156
- Boske, Joachim box 157
  - Publication Illustrations
    - MacCall, Seamus. A Little History of Ireland
- Brandt, Ruth
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Irvine, John. A Treasury of Irish Saints
    - Powell-Anderson, Constance. Barren
    - Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. Forget-Me-Not
    - Kinsela, Thomas. Nightwalker
    - Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. Singing Men at Cashel
    - Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. The Bright Temptation
    - O'Connor, Frank, 1903-1966. The Little Monasteries
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Wormwood
  - Miscellaneous
    - Albion handpress drawing from Dolmen bibliography (zinc plate)
- Casey, Juanita
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Powell-Anderson, Constance. Barren
    - Casey, Juanita. The Circus
    - Casey, Juanita. The Horse of Selene
- Childs, Bernard, 1910-1985
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. Collected Poems
    - Borges, Jorge. Irish Strategies
  - Miscellaneous
    - Scribbled portrait of a man, portrait of Austin Clarke (zinc plates)
- Clarke, Harry, 1889-1931
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Miller,Liam. Retrospect (in The Dublin Magazine, 1923)
- Coughlin, Jack
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Halpern, Susan P. Austin Clarke: his life and works
    - Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939. Druid Craft
    - Clarke, Austin, 1896-1974. Mnemosyne Lay in dust
    - Synge, J. M. (John Millington), 1871-1909. Some sonnets from "Laura in Death"
- Cranwill, Mia box 158
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Sons of Usnech
    - Milne, Ewart, 1903-. Gallion
    - Across the Meadow
  - Miscellaneous
    - 5 knights with spears/small boy in leaves (zinc plate)
- Da Vinci, Leonardo, 1452-1519
  - Miscellaneous
    - Drawing of a woman (copper plate)
- Derricke, John
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Montague, John. Rough Field
- Dominic, Zoë
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Reid, Alec, 1921-. All I Can Manage, More Than I Could
- Farrell, Don A.
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Fitzmaurice, George. Realistic Plays
- Gelderen, Gerritt van
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Faeth Fladha
  - Miscellaneous
    - Wedding invitation
- Gregory, William Robert, 1881-1918
  - Miscellaneous
    - Bookplate with heart/club/spade/diamond, Charging unicorn (Dun Emer Press device) (zinc plates)
- Gyles, Althea
  - Miscellaneous
    - Binding device for the Secret Rose (zinc plates)
- Hayter, Stanley William, 1901- box 159
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Montague, John. Tides
- Le Brocquy, Louis, 1916-
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Tain
    - Tain cover block box 158
- MacWeeney, Leslie box 160
  - Publication Illustrations
    - MacDonagh, Donagh, 1912-1968. Warning to the Conquerors
    - Macentee, Maíre. Heart Full of Thought
    - Ussher, Arland. Thoughts of Wi Wong
    - Ussher, Arland. XXII Keys of the Tarot
  - Miscellaneous
    - Women, St. Matthew nativity, Loves of Bregog and Mulla (zinc plates)
- McCarthy, John
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Wharton, Gordon, 1929-. Fable of King Canute
- McGuiness, Norah
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Fitzmaurice, George. Dandy Dolls
- Mellingham, T.
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Faeth Fladha
- Metcalf, Percy
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Cleeve, Brian Talbot, 1921-. W.B. Yeats and Designing of Ireland's Coinage
- Miller, Liam
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Starlit Eye
    - Warner, Alan, 1912-. Clay is the Word
  - Miscellaneous
    - Portrait of Synge
- Monsell, Elinor
  - Miscellaneous
    - Dun Emer Pressmark/Lady Emer and tree (zinc)
- Morrow, Michael
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kennedy, Maurice. Freebooters
    - Ussher, Arland. Alphabet of Aphorisms
  - Miscellaneous
    - Man carrying lamb/sleeping under tree
- O'Sullivan, Sean
  - Publication Illustrations
    - O'Brien, Flann, 1911-1966. An Beal Bocht
- Patton, Eric box 161
  - Publication Illustrations
    - MacDonagh, Donagh, 1912-1968. Ballad of Jane Shore
- Pike, Bridget
  - Miscellaneous
    - House/landscape (zinc plate)
- Rivers, Elizabeth
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Poems
    - Rivers, Elizabeth. Initium s. evangelii secundum S. Joannem
    - Rivers, Elizabeth. Out of Bedlam
  - Miscellaneous
    - Angel, 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 Roberts box 162
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Faeth Fladha
- Thomas Ryan
  - Publication Illustrations
    - McCormack, William. Festscrift for Francis Stuart
- Solomons, Estella F.
  - Publication Illustratiosn
    - O'Sullivan, Séamus and Solomons, Estella F. (Estella Frances), 1882-1968. Retrospect: work of Estella F. Solomons
- Swinton, Bridget
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Kinsella, Thomas. Sons of Usnech
    - Stanyhurst, Richard, 1547-1618. Aqua Vitae
  - Miscellaneous
    - Cards (zinc plates)
- Yeats, Anne
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Devlin, Denis. Heavenly Foreigner
- Yeats, Jack Butler, 1871-1957
  - Publication Illustrations
    - Berry, James, 1842-1914. Tales of the West of Ireland
    - Yeats, Jack Butler, 1871-1957. In Sand
Illustrations by title (Artist unidentified) (1942-1987)
- Abbey Theatre logo, Ballintubber Alley, Behan, Brendan. Borstal Boy, Bibliography of the Dolmen Press, Book of Kells, 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-. Boyne Valley Vision, Broadside ( Compeachey Picture), Carol of Mary, Carrowmore, Daiken, Leslie H.. Out Goes She, 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. box 163
- Casey, Juanita. Horse of Selene, Casey, Juanita. Horse By the River, George Petrie and the Ancient Music of Ireland, 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 logo box 164
- Christmas 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 logo box 165
- Yeats, 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 logo box 166
Other blocks (1942-1987)
- By subject: Animals, buildings, nature box 167
- By subject: People box 168 box 169
- Lead type, general box 170
- Unidentified general blocks box 171

Summary Information

Repository: Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
Creator: Dolmen Press
Title: Dolmen Press Collection, Printing Blocks Series
ID: MS1007
Date [inclusive]: 1903-1987
Quantity: 31 artifact boxes, 1 document box, 1 half-document box
Extent: 31 Linear Feet
Realia: 173
Realia: 174
Realia: 175
Realia: 176
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Realia: 185
Realia: 186
Realia: 187

Administrative Information

Publication Information: Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2004
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.
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.

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