The 130-year-old book Kelmscott Chaucer is in the news these days. A copy of this book was recently sold at Rs. 2.68 crore has been sold. This copy of the book has been placed in the category of rare books, due more to the design and binding of the copy than to the content of the book. The most special feature of this copy is that its binding has been done with ‘pigskin’. Along with this, this book has many special things in its designing.

Let’s know the whole matter in detail. Find out why Kelmscott Chaucer’s copy is the talk of the town. Find out what is special about this book. When was it composed and we will know what is the theme of Kelmscott Chaucer.

The book, published in 1896, contains 87 woodcuts.

Talking about the rarity of the Kelmscott Chaucer book, this book was published in 1896. According to an English website report, the publishers had already started working on the book several years ago. In this series, printing began in August 1894 and the book was published and made available to the public in June 1896. The book has 87 woodcuts, which make it special.

Binding made of pigskin, only 50 such copies were made.

If we spend Rs. Talking about the other features of the copy of the book called Kelmscott Chaucer sold for 2.68 crores is its binding. Indeed, this book was originally bound from ‘pigskin’. The book is done in ‘Dove’s Bindery’ (a type of art binding, in which the workmanship was done by hand). A special box is also included to keep the book safe.

The white pig blank binding in this book was inspired by German book binding traditions. While on the cover of the book, there were intricate carvings of grape vine patterns, roses, lily flowers and oak leaves. The book is closed with two metal latches. Only 50 such copies of the book were made, one of which was sold in October 2026 for Rs. 2.68 crore was sold.

The book was printed in black and red

The Kelmscott Chaucer book was one of the most ambitious projects of Morris’s Kelmscott Press, based in Hammersmith, London. In fact, Morris was associated with and influenced by the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement. Morris believed that books should be recognized not only as mediums of literature but also as beautiful objects.

The book contains 87 large woodcut illustrations based on sketches by Burne-Jones, Morris’s artistic collaborator, reproduced by Robert Catterson-Smith and engraved on wood by WH Hooper. Morris also designed the book’s decorative borders, lettering, title page and other elements that give the book a unique look. The book was printed in black and red.