The CA Book Fair is back! Join your fellow dealers and collectors for an in-person book fair February 11-13, 2022 at the Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA. For those unable to travel, there will be a simultaneous virtual book fair at abaa.org/vbf. The Virtual Book Fair: California Edition will begin at 9am PST on February 12, 2022 and doors will remain open until 5pm PST on February 14, 2022. Recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious antiquarian book fairs in the world, the 54th California International Antiquarian Book Fair will feature the collections and rare treasures of booksellers from around the globe, including manuscripts, modern first editions, children's books, ephemera, maps and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics. As an officially sanctioned fair of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, buyers can be assured of the highest standards and professionalism of participating dealers. In addition to the outstanding assembly of exhibitors, the three-day in-person Fair will feature a special exhibit on wine and viticulture, courtesy of the Shields Library, University of California, Davis. The grape growing and winemaking collections at the University of California, Davis are the finest such collections in the world. A representative selection of the collections will be on display. Additional Fair Features include: Information about local library and un... [more The California Book Fair is Back!]
Events
Feast your eyes on some of the rare books and related items that will be available exclusively at the ABAA Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition, November 18-20, 2021. The dealers offering these items will be identified after the fair opens! As Nature Shows Them. Moths and Butterflies of the United States East of the Rocky Mountains Denton, Sherman F Condition: Publisher's crushed brown morocco gilt, spines tooled in gilt with butterfly decorations, a.e.g. Moderate scuffing to edges, som Edition: From an edition limited to 500 numbered sets, this is number 183 Binding: Xvi,161; xvi,-361pp. including approximately 400 in-text illustrations, plus fifty-six nature-printed and handcolored plate Publisher: Bradlee Whidden Location: Boston Date: 1900 Boston: Bradlee Whidden, 1900. From an edition limited to 500 numbered sets, this is number 183. xvi,161; xvi,-361pp. including approximately 400 in-text illustrations, plus fifty-six nature-printed and handcolored plates. Half titles. Thirty-one original moth and butterfly specimens. All but two moth and butterfly specimens mounted in original Denton Brothers boxes, many stamped with the Denton Brothers address (the remaining two examples in a single Riker mount). 2 vols. Large 8vo. Publisher's crushed brown morocco gilt, spines tooled in gilt with butterfly decorations, a.e.g. Moderate scuffing to edges, some rubbing and light soiling to boards, corners worn. Tiny ownership label of Canadian entomologist W.H. Harrington on each titlepage... [more Select Highlights: Boston Edition]
The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America's Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition will take place November 18-20, in lieu of the in-person Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. With the Fair online, everyone around the globe can attend the Boston Book Fair, one of the oldest and most respected antiquarian book shows in the U.S. The ABAA Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition opens at 12 p.m./EST on November 18 and will remain open continuously, 24 hours a day, until the event's closing on November 20 at 8 p.m./EST. Admission is free. Visitors will be able to interact with book, map, autograph, and ephemera sellers in real-time directly from the virtual book fair platform. “As the leaves change in New England and the students return to Boston,” Nicole Reiss, Chair, ABAA Boston Book Fair Committee, invites exhibitors to, “join colleagues in another outstanding virtual fair event.” Both American and international exhibitors will offer a rich selection of manuscripts, unique ephemera, artist books, zines, as well as early American and European literature, modern first editions, children's books, maps, autographs, photographs, and more. In recent years, at the book fairs, novice and younger collectors have been increasingly captivated by unique offerings at accessible price points. Continuing in this spirit, for attendees wanting to start a collection, there is something for everyone and dealers will offer “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less. “The virtual... [more Preview the Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition]
Feast your eyes on some of the rare books and related items that will be available exclusively at the ABAA Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition, September 9-12, 2021. The dealers offering these items will be identified after the fair opens! The Garden Murder Case: A Philo Vance Story Van Dine, S. S. inscribed 332+ pages. Small octavo (7 1/2" x 5 1/2") bound in original publisher's gilt-stamped black cloth in original jacket. Inscription to front end paper. (Firsts Volume 14, number 9 page 31) First edition. Garden marked the return to the original design for the dust wrappers, without any graphics added to the standard index card layout. Here the card is in gold and the front and back panels, and the front and spine of the book's cover are also stamped in gold. Floyd, the son of Professor Garden, invites his socialite friends to the rooftop garden of his father's New York penthouse to listen to the outcome of horse races. Detective Philo Vance receives an anonymous telephone message inviting him to one of Floyd's gatherings. On that particular night, Floyd's best friend has placed an enormous bet on a horse named Equanimity. Once it is announced that Equanimity has lost the race, a gunshot is heard and Floyd's friend is found dead of a gunshot wound. Though initially thought to be a suicide, Detective Vance deems the death a murder. The night proves to be even more eventful, due to the attempted poisoning of Floyd's mother's nurse and the subsequent murder of his mother. Ultim... [more Selected Highlights: New York Edition]
The ABAA invites bibliophiles everywhere to join the hunt for rare books and all manner of fine works on paper at the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America's Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition. This will take place September 9-12, in lieu of the in-person New York International Antiquarian Book Fair. The in-person fair has been moved to April 2022, due to the rise of the Delta variant. Both American and international exhibitors will offer a rich selection of manuscripts, unique ephemera, artist books, zines, as well as early American and European literature, modern first editions, children's books, maps, autographs, photographs, and more. "The New York Antiquarian Book Fair has long been the premier showcase for some of the finest material brought to market. This year's virtual edition will be no exception,” said ABAA President Brad Johnson. “As they say, there's no place like New York, but the prudent plan is to wait until next year to convene in person.” “The virtual book fairs have been an important way for booksellers and collectors to stay connected during this past year and a half of closures and canceled in-person events, and they have produced a number of unexpected benefits,” said Sheryl Jaeger, ABAA Vice President and Chair, Virtual Book Fair Committee. “Once again, we're taking the opportunity to be together without leaving home, flying, or packing your wares. Customers can search the entire fair, quickly by product type, category, price, or ... [more Announcing the Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition]
Join the ABAA and ABA for a variety of panels hosted during the Transatlantic Book Fair! 007: The Transatlantic Appeal of Ian Fleming's James Bond Friday, July 23 at 12:00pm ET Panelists: Jon Gilbert, Rebecca Baumann, Ajay Chowdhury Register here... The irrepressible James Bond is returning to the big screen soon in the film “No Time to Die.” Join us at the Transatlantic Book Fair for a panel, hosted by Fleming bibliographer and bookseller Jon Gilbert, discussing Ian Fleming and his iconic character, James Bond. Panelists: Jon Gilbert is an English bibliophile, historian and the official bibliographer of Ian Fleming, creator of the fictional character James Bond. He is also an authority on J.K. Rowling first editions. He was educated at Caterham School and Roehampton Institute London. According to Fleming-family publisher Queen Anne Press, Gilbert is perhaps the foremost expert on the works of Ian Fleming and the literary history of James Bond. Through Adrian Harrington booksellers, he has become an internationally renowned dealer in rare Fleming material, and is a member of the Ian Fleming Foundation. Ian Fleming: The Bibliography, which was published in October 2012, is the result of both a career immersed in the writings of Ian Fleming, and four years intensive research following Fleming's centenary year in 2008. The book was the winner of the 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography, awarded in 2014. Rebecca Baumann is the Head of Public Services at the Lilly Librar... [more Transatlantic Book Fair Public Programs]
“Many of the books at the fair are not just limited editions, but truly one of a kind.” — New York Times The rare-book world descends on New York over the weekend of March 5-8, 2020 for the 60th New York International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Park Avenue Armory! The New York International Antiquarian Book Fair will feature over 200 exhibitors, carrying a vast treasure trove of rare and scarce material with them: rare books, maps, illuminated manuscripts, incunabula, fine bindings, illustrations, historical documents, rare prints and print ephemera, and so much more. The New York International Antiquarian Book Fair is sponsored by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers. Special Events: Preview Night — Thursday, March 5, 5pm-9pm Be among the first to see what's on display. Discovery Day — Sunday, March 8th, 1pm-3pm. Do you have a particularly old or rare books in your collection? Discovery Day gives ticketed visitors an opportunity to bring their own rare books, manuscripts, maps, etc. (up to five items) for evaluation by our panel of exhibitors. So, plan to bring in your treasures — we want to see them! Location: Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue, New York City Opening Hours: Friday, March 6, noon-8pm Saturday, March 7, noon-7pm Sunday, March 8, noon-5pm Admission: Preview Night: Thursday, March 5, 5pm-9pm $60 Admission — Includes one daily re-admission Weekend: $25 General $10 Students (w... [more 2020 New York Book Fair]
Thousands of book lovers, booksellers, and scholars will converge in Southern California for the 53rd California International Antiquarian Book Fair over the weekend of February 7-9, 2020. One of the nation's largest exhibitions and sales of rare books, the 2020 California Book Fair celebrates the 100th anniversary of Women's Suffrage with a special exhibit -- Votes for Women -- documenting women's effort to secure political equality. Materials will be on display from the special collection libraries of The Claremont Colleges; University of Southern California; University of California, Los Angeles; California State University; Dominguez Hills; and the Los Angeles Public Library. Recognized as one of the world's pre-eminent exhibitions of antiquarian books, this eagerly anticipated annual fair gives visitors the opportunity to see, learn about, and purchase the finest in rare books, manuscripts, autographs, maps, fine prints, photographs, and more. Featuring more than 150 booksellers from the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) and International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the California Book Fair presents volumes from six centuries of printing, as well as original manuscripts that predate Gutenberg. Books at the Fair will cover every imaginable area, from the history of travel and exploration to early science and medicine to classic literature, modern first editions, as well as children's and illustrated books. Prices can range from just a fe... [more California Book Fair 2020]
The 53rd California International Antiquarian Book Fair takes place in Pasadena, California over the weekend of February 7-9, 2020. Here's is a little taste of the rare books and items of print ephemera ABAA members will be exhibiting at this year's Fair! Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1950. First edition. 222pp. Octavo. Green cloth boards. Light sunning and wear, corners of jacket clipped. Leaf inscribed by Bradbury laid in. An excellent example of Bradbury's seminal future history detailing relations between human settlers and Martian natives. Offered by Ken Sanders Rare Books, booth #610. Women Organizing for Suffrage and Political Change: A Collection of Unusual, Ephemeral, and Delicate Pieces of Suffrage And Related Women's Social Reform Movements Large collection of 36 original memorabilia and worn items from the women's suffrage movement, as well as from the female led social reform movement for temperance, and early women's political campaigns for office. The worn items of this collection originally served to identify suffragettes at rallies and while canvassing. Rather than the emblematic, but far more numerous suffrage buttons, this collection shows a keen focus on the more unusual representations of suffrage. It includes items that are extremely rare today because they were either very fragile or made to be disgarded, such as a delicate porcelain handbell embellished with the “Votes for Women” motto, or a paper cup from the 1... [more CA Book Fair Preview]
Many ABAA members are exhibiting at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair (March 8-11, 2018) -- after all, it is the largest rare-book fair in the US! -- and are publishing catalogs of the fantastic items they will be bringing. We shall list these catalogs below as they are announced. (Please note, several members are publishing multiple catalogs and lists for the event!) Athena Rare Books Booth D-19 Boreas Fine Art Booth A-11 David Brass Rare Books Booth E-28 Bromer Booksellers Booth E-33 Buddenbrooks (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8) (Part 9) (Part 10) (Part 11) (Part 12) (Part 13) (Part 14) Booth C-20 James Cummins Booksellers Booth A-3 Eclectibles Booth B-8 Donald A. Heald Booth C-1 Jonathan A. Hill, Bookseller (Western List) (Asian List) Booth B-15 Kaaterskill Books Booth D-6 The Lawbook Exchange (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) Booth B-12 Michael Laird Rare Books Booth C-30 Liber Antiquus Early Books & Manuscripts Booth E-7 Ken Lopez Bokseller Booth C-13 Jeffrey D. Mancevice, Inc. Booth E-22 Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books & Manuscripts Booth E-1 B & L Rootenberg Rare Books & Manuscripts Booth D-13 Sanctuary Books Booth B-2 Abby Schoolman Books Booth A-32 Triolet Rare Books Booth D-31 [more 2018 New York Book Fair: Catalogs]