Virginia Woolf (1882-1941)
Virginia Woolf
British author and essayist Virginia Woolf was one of the most prominent writers of the English Modernist movement and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Woolf was born in London in 1882 to a literary family, and she began writing at a young age. Woolf suffered many mental health issues throughout her life, beginning with the death of her mother when she was thirteen, until her death in 1941. Woolf was taken care of by her older sister, Vanessa Bell, who moved the family into Bloomsbury after the death of Woolf’s father. It was here that Woolf was challenged in her writing and thought, and she produced many of her most popular and widely read works, such as Mrs. Dalloway, To The Lighthouse, and A Room of One’s Own.
The Hogarth Press
In 1917, Virginia and her husband, fellow Bloomsbury Group member Leonard Woolf, began the Hogarth Press. The Hogarth Press began as a publishing and printing house started by the Woolfs to publish their own books as well as indulge in their passion for hand-printing. The press gained popularity in the 1920s, and the Woolfs quickly began to use outside sources for their printing as they were acquiring more and more works to publish. Virginia used The Hogarth Press to publish all her books after its founding, ending with Mrs. Dalloway’s Party, published in 1973.
Through the Hogarth Press, Virginia gained a lot of creative freedom in her writing, and without the press, we would likely not have many of her more experimental works we have today. It was through the Hogarth Press where Virginia worked with her sister, Vanessa Bell, to collaborate in their art forms. Vanessa was a member of the Bloomsbury Group and was an artist and painter. She designed many dust jackets for Hogarth Press books, and the Mahn Center’s collection features 16 of Virginia Woolf’s books with dust jackets, with the majority being designed by Vanessa Bell. These dust jackets are scarce, but we are fortunate to have so many in such wonderful condition. The collection is comprised of mainly first editions, with over half of the works being published by the Hogarth Press. The collection includes all of Woolf’s novels. Seventeen of the books in our collection have inscriptions of ownership, with previous owners leaving their marks in books that belonged to them. Harlan W. Hamilton, an English professor from Cleveland previously owned three of our books, being the only inscription to show up multiple times. Some other notable previous owners include English socialite Lady Leucha Diana Werner and English baritone singer Theodore Byard.
The collection also features two books with in-text woodcuts designed by Vanessa Bell, Monday or Tuesday, and Kew Gardens. Monday or Tuesday was published in 1921 by the Hogarth Press, and it is the first Hogarth book in our collection. Printing was done by Leonard Woolf and McDermott Prompt Press. Neither Leonard nor McDermott were skilled printers, and the book features many typographical errors as well as staining from over-inking the printed woodcuts. In Leonard’s autobiography, he thinks of the book as “one of the worst printed books ever published.” Our copy features many typographical errors, such as smudging, stained pages, and the typeface being incorrectly put together, causing the “Caslon” brand name of the text to appear within the print itself. Kew Gardens was rereleased in 1927, and this printing was of significantly better quality, featuring in-text woodcuts on every front page. Ours is number 51 of 500 copies and is signed by Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell in purple ink, which Virginia frequently used when writing letters, manuscripts, and signing books.
This first edition, first print printing contains eight short stories by the author. Visit the Monday or Tuesday record in our Digital Archives.
Third edition and first illustrated edition bound in original decorated boards. Visit the Kew Gardens record in our Digital Archives.
These two books are only a small example of the brilliance of this collection, which spans over 40 books in total and hopefully will continue to grow. To view Kew Gardens, Monday or Tuesday, or any of the other titles, please reach out to Special Collections Librarian Miriam Intrator, or complete this research request form.
Sources
Reid, P. (2024, February 29). Virginia Woolf British writer. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Virginia-Woolf
Beresford, G. C. (1902). Virginia Woolf in 1902 - Restoration [Photograph].
Woolf, L. (1978). Beginning Again: An Autobiography of the Years 1911-1918 (pp. 239-240). Hogarth Press.