The most influential element that lead to the development of the Private Presses was probably the publication of the first issue of Journal Hobby Horse in April 1884.
Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo, one of the founders of the Century Guild, edited it with the collaboration of Herbert Horne. It was meant to be a quarterly publication, but the second issue did not see the light until 1886. In between the distiguisherd contributors we can count Ruskin, Gabriele Rossetti, Burnes Jones, W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde.
Mackmurdo had met William Morris back in 1877, and was Morris that stimulated his interest in applied arts.
The Hobby Horse with his cover designed by Selwin Image and its fine style was the first publication to rice the graphics at the level of art. Influential element that lead William Morris to turn his attention to printing and the foundation in 1891 of the Kelmscott Press.

Here follow a selection on this subject from Walter Crane’s Decorative Illustration Page 186:

The Century Guild, with its “Hobby Horse” and its artists, like Mr. Horne and Mr. Selwyn Image, did much to keep alive true taste in printing and book decoration, when they were but little understood. (Note: And they elicited a response from across the water in the shape of “The Knight Errant” the work of a band of young enthusiasts at Boston, Mass., of which Mr. Lee and Mr. Goodhue may be named as leading sprits – the latter being the designer of the cover of “the Knight Errant”, and the former the printer.But the field for extensive artistic experiments in these directions was tolerably clear when Mr. William Morris turned his attention to printing, and, in 1891, founded the Kelmscott Press.

From 1892 to 1896, the year of Morris death, the Kelmscott Press produced over fifty titles, including the Kelmscott Chaucer considered today by many the finest book of the modern time.
The Kelmscott Press was the inspiration for many to create fine books; Elbert Hubbard in his journey to find himself met him in 1890, at his return to America, Hubbard created the Roycroft Shop, today identified as the Roycroft Press.

Many more followed the example of William Morris, though each one individually evolving in its own direction. Many presses were emerging, some did not survive for long, some did. Here follow a list of some of the major presses that emerged in England and in the USA:

American Presses
Alderbrink Press, Blue Sky Press, Clerk's Press, Copeland & Day, Cornhill Press, Cranbrook Press, De Vinne Press, Edmond Brooks, Elston Press, Marion Press, Monadnock Press, Monk's Head Press, Mosher Press, Niagara Paper Mills, Philosopher Press, Riverside Press, Roycroft,, Wayside Press
British Presses
Ashendene Press, Daniel Press, Doves Press, Eragny Press, Essex House Press, Gay & Hancock, Gay & Bird, Kelmscott Press , Vale Press, Vincent Press

An article from the National Library of Scotland
Private press books
In the second half of the 19th century, the Arts and Crafts Movement set out to maintain traditional skills and workmanship as an alternative to the new technology of mass production. In printing, this led to the foundation of private presses, making small runs of printed books to high standards. ....more of this article at the Library Website

 

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