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Costmary Press publications

Special Collections and Archives

Costmary Press publications

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Special Collections and Archives

Costmary Press publications

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  • Repository: Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.
  • Title: Costmary Press publications collection
  • Inclusive Date(s): 1992-2019
  • Author: Finding aid prepared by Anita Clary
  • Creation: Finding aid encoded by Anita Clary using the OhioLINK EAD Application in 2018
  • Origination: Keller, Dean H.
  • Extent: .5 cubic feet (1 half-size record storage box)
  • Physical Location: 11th floor
  • Finding Aid Identifier: OhKeUSC0201
  • Abstract: This collection contains projects printed by The Costmary Press, a small private press operated as a hobby by Dean H. Keller. Represented are quotations and poems by local and nationally known poets, printed in the form of broadsides or chapbooks; keepsakes; and other small printed publications.
  • Language(s): The records are in English

History of The Costmary Press

Dean H. Keller is former Curator of Special Collections, Associate Dean, and emeritus professor at the Kent State University Libraries, where he had a long and distinguished career. He and his wife, Patricia, reside in Kent, Ohio.

A course on the history of books and printing piqued Keller's interest in printing. Printing as a Hobby, by J. Ben Lieberman provided basic information and motivated Keller to take up printing as a hobby. The book promoted the "Liberty" press kit which Keller acquired and used to print his first three items--stationery for his wife (Patricia) and her cousin--in 1965. He then purchased a used 6-inch by 10-inch Chandler & Price press from a church in Akron, Ohio and an assortment of Bodini type and a Hamilton type cabinet from Commercial Press in Kent, Ohio. The name Costmary Press came from Patricia Keller's interest in herbs; costmary, also known as Bible leaf, was used in Colonial times as a marker for the Bible or prayerbook and its pungent leaves were chewed to keep the listener awake during long sermons. A colleague made a drawing of the costmary leaf which has been used as Keller's printer's mark since it was introduced in 1969. In 2007, The Costmary Press acquired a font of 12 point Bewick Roman type. Most of the Press' projects have been printed on the Chandler and Price press.

Scope and Content

The Costmary Press publications collection spans the years from 1992 through 2019. It contains broadsides and chapbooks of poetry, quotations, and keepsakes. There are, generally, two categories of poetry: poems by poets who are closely tied to Kent State University, and non-Kent poets who may have some relationship with the University. Many of the poems were first published by The Costmary Press; several were later collected in books by their authors.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in chronological order of The Costmary Press print date.

Separated Material

Many of The Costmary Press publications dated 1970-2012, including three catalogues and an anthology, are housed in the Special Collections & Archives book collection, and are cataloged in KentLINK.

Preferred Citation

The Costmary Press publications collection. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Dean H. Keller

Bibliography

The Costmary Press: A Catalogue, 1965-1999 provided information used in the History notes of this finding aid.

Controlled-access Headings
The following are found in this collection:

  • Subjects:
  • Costmary Press -- Archives
  • Small presses -- Ohio -- Kent
  • Letterpress printing -- Ohio -- Kent
  • Hand-printed books -- Ohio -- Kent
  • Hand presses -- Ohio --Kent
  • Organizations/Corporations:
  • Costmary Press
  • Functions:
  • Letterpress printing
  • Occupations:
  • Printers
  • Typographers
  • Material Types:
  • Poetry
  • Hand-printed books
  • Broadside poems
  • Letterpress types
  • Foundry types
  • Keepsakes


Detailed Description of the Collection

In the entries below, the Costmary Press Catalogue numbers (if assigned) are provided with the following notation: "CPC ##."
  • Box 1 / Folder 1
  • The Costmary Press Bookmark, Fall, 1992
  • Physical Description: CPC 60. Keepsake for a talk about The Costmary Press given for the Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society.
  • Box 1 / Folder 2
  • Nurmi, Martin K. David Johnson, Dec. 29, 1995, February, 1998
  • Physical Description: CPC 66. Broadside. Unnumbered of 50 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 3
  • Quotation from a Scriptorium, April, 1998
  • Physical Description: CPC 68. Two pages in a printed folder, stitched binding. Unnumbered of 25 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 4
  • Hassler, Donald M. Love Affair with Death: Gaiser Dimittis, May, 1998
  • Physical Description: CPC 69. Broadside. Unnumbered of 50 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 5
  • Hunt, Leigh. Rondeau, February, 1999
  • Physical Description: CPC 70. Broadside. Number 10 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 6
  • Four nature poems by Gilbert White, Erasmus Darwin, and Ralph Waldo Emerson (2), February, 1999
  • Physical Description: CPC 71. Chapbook; six pages, stitched binding. Number 10 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 7
  • Horn Book (facsimile), October, 2000
  • Physical Description: CPC 88. Contains the alphabet and Lord's Prayer. The wooden paddle was cut by Ray Craig. Colophon attached by a string. Number 10 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 8
  • Elliot, David. For Anne, February, 2001
  • Physical Description: CPC 91. Broadside. Number 30 of 36 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 9
  • Sternlieb, Barry. Printing by Hand, Summer, 2001
  • Physical Description: CPC 93. Broadside. Number 12 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 10
  • Lowell, James R. Early Spring, May, 2002
  • Physical Description: CPC 100. Broadside. Number 40 of 50 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 11
  • Meyer, Lewis. I think that..., May, 2002
  • Physical Description: CPC 101. Broadside. From Meyer's book "The Customer is Always." Number 7 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 12
  • Noel-Tod, Jeremy. Edgeland, June, 2002
  • Physical Description: CPC 102. Broadside. Number 36 of 46 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 13
  • Elliot, David. In Antique-Rusty Golden Rome 1961, December, 2002
  • Physical Description: CPC 103. Broadside. Number 31 of 40 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 14
  • Tener, Robert L. View to the West, February, 2003
  • Physical Description: CPC 105. Broadside. Number 22 of 30 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 15
  • Rogers, A. Robert. Ambition, March, 2003
  • Physical Description: CPC 106. Broadside. Number 22 of 30 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 16
  • Chipps, Lloyd. E. W. P., April, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC 107. Broadside. Number 9 of 40 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 17
  • Zimmer, Paul. Zimmer and the Moment, May, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC 109. Broadside. Number 9 of 24 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 18
  • Some American Writers Who Practiced the Printing Trade, July, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC 111. Keepsake; broadside. Number 7 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 19
  • Hassler, David. Close to the Ground, July, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC 112. Broadside. Number 37 of 42 copies, signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 20
  • Anderson, Maggie. The Map, September, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC113. Broadside. Number 49 of 75 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 21
  • Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Dante, November, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC 114. Broadside; printed on handmade paper. Number 8 of 25 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 22
  • Kryss, Tom. Two for the Asphodel, November, 2004
  • Physical Description: CPC 115. Two pages in paper folder with a printed label, unbound. Number 5 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 23
  • Papyrus..., April, 2005
  • Physical Description: CPC 116. Keepsake; broadside; printed on papyrus. Number 4 of 4 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 24
  • Klein, Jane. Sarah is Four, June, 2005
  • Physical Description: CPC 117. Broadside. Number 26 of 30 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 25
  • Kryss, Tom. Real Time, June, 2005
  • Physical Description: CPC 118. Broadside. Number 36 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 26
  • William Dean Howells on the Spanish-American War, November, 2005
  • Physical Description: CPC 119. Quotation; one page in a printed folder. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 27
  • Pangur Ban, January, 2006
  • Physical Description: CPC 122. Poem by a 9th Century Irish monk in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Broadside; printed on handmade paper. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 28
  • From The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury, January, 2006
  • Physical Description: CPC 123. Quotation; broadside. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 29
  • 80: A Keepsake in Honor of Frank Klein's 80th Birthday, February 16, 2006
  • Physical Description: CPC 124. Keepsake; broadside. Number 98 of 100 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 30
  • Kryss, Tom. In Reserve, February, 2007
  • Physical Description: CPC 131. Broadside. Number 25 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 31
  • Gildzen, Alex. Fall Flow, November 23, 2007
  • Physical Description: CPC 138. Broadside. Number 32 of 36 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 32
  • Some Ohio Authors, November 25, 2007
  • Physical Description: CPC 139. A list printed on paper cut in the shape of the state of Ohio. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 33
  • Some Ohio Used and Rare Booksellers, December 2, 2007
  • Physical Description: CPC 140. A list printed on paper cut in the shape of the state of Ohio. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 34
  • Tener, Robert. The Perfume of Snow, January, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 141. Broadside. Number 19 of 24 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 35
  • Kryss, Tom. The Case for Hope, January, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 142. Broadside. Number 35 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 36
  • Kafka, Franz. Life's splendour..., January, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 143. Quotation; broadside. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 37
  • Roosevelt, Franklin Delano. Governments can err..., January, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 144. Quotation; broadside. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 38
  • Selections from "Ballads of Books" Chosen by Brander Matthews, New York, 1887, January, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 145. Chapbook, six pages with printed cover, sewn binding. Number 8 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 39
  • Tener, Robert L. A Cadence of Cold, March, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 148. Chapbook, six pages with printed cover, sewn binding. Number 20 of 24 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 40
  • Bookmark for 60th anniversary of The Bookseller, Inc., Akron, Ohio, March, 2008
  • Physical Description: CPC 149. Keepsake. Unnumbered of 60 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 41
  • Lagerlof, Selma. Robin Redbreast from "Christ Legends", October, 2012
  • Physical Description: CPC 227. Quotation; broadside. Number 25 of 30 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 42
  • Swanberg, Ingrid. Three Bird Songs, October, 2012
  • Physical Description: CPC 228. Chapbook, four pages with printed cover, sewn binding. Number 32 of 35 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 43
  • Cauble, Don. On a hair-pin curve just under a blond's left eye, October, 2012
  • Physical Description: CPC 229. Chapbook; nine pages with printed cover, sewn binding. Number 36 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 44
  • Heyen, William. The West: Five Scherzi, November, 2012
  • Physical Description: CPC 230. Chapbook; eight pages with printed cover, illustration, sewn binding. Number 31 of 35 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 45
  • Smith, Larry. Walking a Field into Evening, December, 2012
  • Physical Description: CPC 232. Broadside. Number 26 of 35 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 46
  • Of Books, December, 2012
  • Physical Description: CPC 233. Quotations; eight pages in a printed folder. Number 7 of 25 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 47
  • Of Printing, January, 2013
  • Physical Description: CPC 234. Quotations; six pages in a printed folder. Number 7 of 25 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 48
  • Hassler, Donald (Mack). Trigonometry for David Tarvainen, January, 2013
  • Physical Description: CPC 235. Broadside. Number 17 of 20 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 49
  • Lowell, James R. 11.x.64, February, 2013
  • Physical Description: CPC 236. Broadside. Number 54 of 60 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 50
  • William Dean Howells on Printing, October, 2013
  • Physical Description: CPC 239. Quotations; two pages, tied binding. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 51
  • Paper, January, 2014
  • Physical Description: CPC 240. Quotations; two pages, folded. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 52
  • W. D. Howells on A. Trollope, May, 2014
  • Physical Description: CPC 241. Quotation from "Heroines of Fiction." Broadside. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 53
  • Heyen, William. From the Fields, Summer, 2014
  • Physical Description: CPC 242. Chapbook; six pages with printed cover, photo illustration of Walt Whitman, stapled and taped binding. Number 29 of 35 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 54
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Night; Basho...; Japanese death poem, September, 2014
  • Physical Description: CPC 243. Chapbook; one page, printed on paper purchased at the Crane Paper Musum, Dalton, Massachusetts. Number 25 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 55
  • Heyen, William. Chip, September, 2014
  • Physical Description: CPC 244. Broadside; illustrated by the poet. Number 31 of 35 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 56
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Flurry, January, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 245. Broadside. Number 35 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 57
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Two Poems, January, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 246. Two pages in a printed folder. Number 34 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 58
  • Autographs of Governors of Ohio: A Catalogue, February, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 247. Cover and title pages printed at The Costmary Press; text typewritten and photocopied. Twenty-one pages with printed covers, stapled binding. Number 7 of 10 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 59
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Where's the moose?, April, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 249. Broadside. Number 36 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 60
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Snow: Four Poems, April, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 250. Chapbook; four pages with printed covers, sewn binding, errata slip. Number 25 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 61
  • Dunbar, Paul Laurence. Untitled, on Orville Wright as a printer, June, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 251. Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 62
  • Lines by "a modern poet", August, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 252. Quoted by Sir Walter Scott in "Guy Mannering." Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 63
  • Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Catawba Wine (final verse), September, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 253. Broadside. Proof; 4 copies printed.
  • Box 1 / Folder 64
  • Kenyon, Jane. Otherwise, December, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 254. Broadside. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 65
  • Block, Lawrence. From The Burgler Who Painted Like Mondrian, December, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 255. Quotation; broadside. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 66
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Missouri Botanical Garden: Seven Haiku and a Photograph, December, 2015
  • Physical Description: CPC 256. Chapbook; two pages with printed cover, photograph, sewn binding. Number 36 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 67
  • For Frank Klein, the Bookseller, on his Ninetieth Birthday, January, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 257. Six quotations in a printed folder. Number 30 of 35 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 68
  • Stoneburner, Tony. Writer in Minnesota in 1861, January, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 258. Broadside. Number 46 of 50 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 69
  • Chesterton, G. K. The Donkey, March, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 260. Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 70
  • Heyen, William. Three Love Poems, May, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 261. Chapbook; four pages with printed cover, photographs, sewn binding. Number 29 of 35 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 71
  • Trollope, Thomas Adolphus. Charles Dickens, October, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 262. Cover and title page printed at The Costmary Press. Text is photocopy of chapter from the 1st Amer. Ed. of "What I Remember." Twelve pages with printed cover. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 72
  • Rist, Johan. And Frederick William he..., October, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 263. Quotation; translated by William Blades. Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 73
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Parallel peeing, October, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 264. Broadside. Number 32 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 74
  • Lawless, James (Jim). A poem should not mean but be, October, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 265. Broadside. Number 34 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 75
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Punchki, October, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 266. Broadside. Number 29 of 40 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 76
  • Howells, William Dean. What Shall It Profit?, November, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 268. Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 77
  • Psalm 121, November, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 269. Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 78
  • Rags..., November, 2016
  • Physical Description: CPC 270. Quotation from unknown 18th Century author cited by Dard Hunter. Broadside; printed on handmade paper. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 79
  • Holme, Constance. From The Things Which Belong--, January, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 271. Quotation. Broadside. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 80
  • Cather, Willa. Two Poems, January, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 272. Chapbook; two pages with printed cover, sewn binding. Number 6 of 16 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 81
  • Hassler, Donald (Mack). Old Pictures at Christmas, February, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 273. Broadside. Number 35 of 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 82
  • Harshman, Marc. Monastery, February, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 274. Broadside. Number 144 of 150 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 83
  • William Dean Howells on Reading, April, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 275. Quotations; two pages, tied binding. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 84
  • Heyen, William. Young Man Jack, May, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 277. Chapbook; four pages with printed cover, photographs, sewn binding. Number 32 of 35 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 85
  • Holme, Constance. My life..., August, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 279. Quotation. Broadside. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 86
  • Browne, Irving. 3 Poems, November, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 280. From his "Ballads of a Book-Worm." Fourteen pages in a printed folder. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 87
  • Hassler, Donald (Mack). Old News, December, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 281. Broadside. Number 25 of 30 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 88
  • Van Gundy, Doug. Spillway, December, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 282. Broadside. Number 56 of 60 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 89
  • Fanthorpe, U. A. BC : AD, December, 2017
  • Physical Description: CPC 283. Broadside. Number 7 of 20 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 90
  • The Costmary Press: A Catalogue, 2011-2018, January, 2018
  • Physical Description: CPC 284. Covers printed at The Press; text typewritten and photocopied, alphabetical index of all items printed at The Press. Ten pages with printed covers, sewn binding. Number 6 of 14 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 91
  • Kryss, Tom. DNA, March, 2018
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Number 13 of 50 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 92
  • Lawless, James (Jim). The nother, last closing: Olde Erie Book Store, July, 2018
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Number 6 of 20 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 93
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Eight Poems, August, 2018
  • Physical Description: Eight pages in folder with printed label. Number 28 or 40 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 94
  • Blevins, Richard. To Jim Lowell, September, 2018
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Number 56 of 60 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 95
  • Lawless, James (Jim). Missouri Botanical Garden: 7 Haiku and 7 Photographs, September, 2018
  • Physical Description: Chapbook; seven pages, tied binding. Number 11 of 14 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 96
  • Hassler, Donald (Mack). Pat and Dean: A Couple, January, 2019
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Dated 1982. Number 5 of 16 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 97
  • Hassler, Donald (Mack). From Trantor to Mesklin by Way of Dhalgren, January, 2019
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Dedicated to "our colleague Kevin Floyd." Number 20 of 24 copies. Signed by the author.
  • Box 1 / Folder 98
  • Thomas Carlyle on Printing, January, 2019
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Two quotes. Number 7 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 99
  • Auden, W. H. From For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio, January, 2019
  • Physical Description: Broadside. Number 6 of 12 copies.
  • Box 1 / Folder 100
  • Untitled - Notice of closing of The Costmary Press, 2019
  • Physical Description: Broadside.
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