“Bookish and Bold” is the subtitle of our upcoming August 14 Girls Night Out. We’ll be transforming the Mill into a story-filled landscape as we celebrate literature in all its forms. Joining us will be one of our lesser-known tenants, The Kelmscott Bookshop. Owner Fran Durako specializes in rare books, including a special art form known as “artist’s books”. We stopped by her space in the Carding Building to learn more about this unique business.

What is Kelmscott?

The bookshop is named after a famous 19th-century private press called the Kelmscott Press. It was founded by an interesting and successful man named William Morris (1894-1896). Morris was known as a designer, artist, writer, and more. He decided to found the Kelmscott Press in 1891.The Press published 53 books in 66 volumes between 1891 and 1898. Each book was designed and ornamented by Morris and printed by hand in limited editions of around 300. Many books were illustrated by the renowned Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones.

How did your business get started?

The Kelmscott Bookshop was founded in Baltimore as a general used and rare bookstore.  I was a customer for many years while I worked at a large law firm in downtown DC. By chance when talking to the then-owners, I found out that they were interested in selling this business. This was in August 2002 and I bought the shop in January 2003. I continued it for some years as a general used bookshop but ultimately began specializing in rare and collectible books, including one of our current specialties, artists’ books.

You moved your store from where it started on Baltimore’s Book Row to Savage Mill several years ago. What prompted that decision, and how has being here at Savage Mill been helpful?

My shop’s location in Baltimore was in an urban neighborhood with little foot traffic. The area was known as Book Row because there had once been five or six bookshops within a few block radius, but that was no longer the case. Also, since I lived in Silver Spring, I had a 70-mile round-trip commute. I finally decided that I had to sell my building and find a new location. I soon determined that renting a suite in Savage Mill would be an ideal new venture. I have now been in Savage Mill for four years and I have been very happy with being located here. Although we are not in the main retail area, we have seen an upswing in business and are enjoying the proximity to services and restaurants.

What is your favorite genre of book?

There are several, including 19th-century British literature, private presses, and more recently artists’ books.

What is an artist’s book?

This genre is basically books created by artists as works of art. Many of them are international artists, including one of my favorites, the Egyptian artist Islam Aly who got an MFA in Book Arts from the University of Iowa. It is a stimulating and exciting art form and has been increasingly collected both by institutional libraries (colleges, universities, museums) and private collectors. The works are as varied as the artists choose. Some look more or less like traditional books, but many have unusual structures, construction, and points of view, including many in miniature form. The artist’s book has become a vehicle for many artists to address current issues such as the pandemic, prejudice and individual rights, and environmental problems and solutions.

Does a particular book speak to you?

Several years ago, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to purchase one of the most famous private press titles of the 19th century, considered a masterpiece and a high point in the Arts & Crafts movement. It is The Works of Chaucer and was designed, illustrated, and published by the Kelmscott Press. I intended to sell it but decided to keep it for the foreseeable future.

What are some interesting observations you’ve made from your years of collecting and selling rare books?

They are endlessly interesting and informative, but most important to me is acquiring great books and making them available to the world.  It also matters a great deal to support book artists, and to be an avenue for owners of rare and collectible materials for selling their books.

What’s been a surprising or delightful discovery related to the books you collect?

The joy and wonderment that books continue to offer even many centuries after they have been produced and published.