UPDATE MAY 2016
De Walden Press has now ceased to publish miniature books, but the site remains in place for information.
De Walden Press was established in 1996, in Malvern England, to publish the first of Kellett's books, The Malvern Story. This and subsequent publications are miniatures, which in the world of books means no larger than three inches in any dimension.
The Malvern Story was entered in the Miniature Book Society's annual competition, and won a Distinguished Book Award, which was far too much encouragement, and the press went on to win this award a further five times. The competition is open to a world wide field, and is judged by experts from the book community.
In 2003 De Walden Press relocated from the UK to British Columbia, Canada for family reasons.The presses and equipment were crated and shipped, and are now well established in their Canadian home. In 2003 a Craftsmen table-top letterpress was added to the book presses, and since that time, all the books have been printed letterpress in-house. In 2011, an Ettan etching press joined the press room, which is now bulging at the sides.
Each book is made by hand using archival quality materials and binding methods. Kellett trained originally as a bookbinder and uses her experience and skills to ensure that everything she makes reaches a high standard of construction. The term 'limited edition' means that only the number of books specified is produced. The edition sizes vary, the last was an edition of twenty, the smallest edition to date, making these truly rare books.
De Walden Press books are in public and private collections worldwide, and a complete collection resides at Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA Other Universities and libraries with De Walden Press books in their collections include:
In the UK: The British Library, London; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Birmingham Central Library; the library of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford on Avon;
In the USA: Maryland Institute College of Art and Design Library; Lilly Library, University of Indiana; Neilson Library, Smith College; Folger Shakespeare Library; University of North Texas; Texas A & M University; University of Tulsa; Vanderbilt University; University of Denver; University of Houston; Dartmouth College; Atlanta College of Art and Design; New Hampshire Institute of Art; Tulane University; Franklin & Marshall College; Yale University; University of Louisville.
In Canada: Thomas Fisher Rare book Library, U. of Toronto; University of Alberta at Edmonton; Toronto Public Library; Library and Archives Canada; McGill University Library; University of Calgary; Simon Fraser University; University of BC; Vancouver Public Library; Queen's University, Kingston; University of Victoria.
In Australia: University of Melbourne, State Library of New South Wales.
For more information about De Walden Press, see this Feb 2008 interview (page 8) by Bob McCamant in The Caxtonian.