Peter L. Stern introduces several notable characters in the Boston rare-book trade. I have been asked to write a blog for the ABAA along the lines of “characters in the Boston book trade.” I hardly know where to begin, but I'll give myself a pass and leave it to others to extoll my virtues and undisputed genius. My own career in the antiquarian trade started at the Starr Book Company on Kingston Street. This was very nearly where the Great Boston Fire (1872) originated, and our building was likely built on those ashes. It may have been 1972 outside, but inside it was a century earlier. We only had direct current, our heat came from a central Edison steam plant, and “air conditioning” was supplied by an industrial fan that sounded like a revving B-24. My morning's first task was to sweep the floor and then pack shipments, which were bundled with string. Remember packages tied by string? My starting pay was a princely $100 a week, but given the modest business that paid it, I never resented it, although more than once, I was very nearly felled by book avalanches. My boss, Ernie Starr, had been in the trade since the late thirties or early forties. He possessed a genuine enthusiasm and appreciation for books, even if he occupied a low rung on the ladder. He was originally in business with his brother Milt, a rather gruff man. Eventually, he and Ernie split up. Milt got Cambridge, Ernie got Boston. I particularly recall one anecdote Ernie told about their partnership. The... [more Boston: Characters in the Rare Book Trade]

Each year the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) holds a four day Preconference focused on special collections. The location of the conference and the theme change annually; this year the event was held in Las Vegas and explored "space, place, and the artifact in special collections". The conference allows special collections librarians and developers from across the country to socialize and participate in meaningful conversations about the field. In addition to the variety of workshops, seminars, and social events, a main component of the Preconference is the ABAA's Bookseller Showcase (read Greg Gibson's impressions of the 2014 showcase here). The showcase is like a book fair amuse-bouche: there are usually between 30-40 exhibitors who bring a sampling of their inventory, giving attendees a small taste of the type of material they specialize in and what they currently have to offer. Booksellers who participate in the showcase frequently describe it as an invaluable opportunity to meet customers face to face and to forge new relationships with special collections developers. It's worthwhile to note that one does not have to work in special collections to attend the annual Preconfernece. Registration is open to anyone who may want to attend, and many ABAA booksellers have found the Preconference to be a wonderful opportunity to network with librarians and to further educate themselves about the field so they c... [more Viva Las Vegas: 2014 RBMS Preconference and Booksellers’ Showcase]

Start spreading the news: the 54th Annual New York Antiquarian Book Fair opens tomorrow! As I type, over 200 American and international exhibitors are converging on the historic Park Avenue Armory, unpacking crates of rare books, ephemera, maps, prints, manuscripts, and other gems. If you've never attended, you'll be amazed at the amount and range of material that our exhibitors have in each booth, their mini-stores for the weekend. The fair has been referred to as a treasure trove and it's an apt description. Exhibitors spend countless hours curating their most interesting material and arranging their booth displays in the most enticing manner. As the Armory slowly fills up with the most knowledgeable specialists in the trade and their extraordinary material, each booth becomes a unique, not to be missed exhibit in a truly living museum. Living, you see, because at ABAA fairs you have the chance to look at and to hold items that you can't otherwise find outside of a museum or special collections library. What's even more remarkable is that you are afforded the opportunity to speak with the curator of each exhibi who would love to send you home with a priceless souvenir. This is my fifth NY Book Fair, and I have some advice for first time attendees. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of the event and intimidated by the material on display. I felt this way myself during my first visit to an ABAA fair. But push past these feelings, walk the show floor, and enjoy y... [more New York, New York!]

Longtime friend of the ABAA Nicholas Basbanes will be signing copies of his latest book, On Paper, at the upcoming Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. You can find him at the ABAA Booth at 1pm on Saturday, November 16th. Proceeds will benefit the ABAA's Benevolent Fund, which provides aid to booksellers in distress. The cost of the book is $35. On Paper takes the reader on a journey throughout the history of paper and the ways in which it has influenced and shaped societies throughout the world. Publisher's Weekly gave the book a starred review, saying that through Basbanes's "wide-ranging, freewheeling, authoritative" survey of paper, he "reveals how many roles, directly and indirectly, paper plays in our lives." As if you needed another reason to visit the Boston fair. We hope to see you in line for a copy of Mr. Basbanes's excellent new book! [more Nicholas Basbanes Book Signing at Boston Book Fair]

Booksellers setting up this morning We are only a day away from opening night of the NY Antiquarian Book Fair, an event not to be missed by anyone who has a passion. You're probably thinking: You forgot to finish your sentence; surely you mean a passion for books. No, you read it correctly the first time. ABAA book fairs offer a chance to purchase a piece of history and every field is represented. Everyone can find something fascinating at the shows, no matter what their passion or interest may bejust take a look at the drop-down list of specializations on our member search page to get an idea of the breadth of fields our sellers deal in. What's more, it may be called a book fair, but there is much more on the show floor than booksmanuscripts, prints, maps, ephemera, sketches, letters, photographs&almost anything you can think of. As I posted last year, ABAA fairs are truly living, breathing museums and they give you the unique opportunity to take home part of the exhibit. (Read last year's post after the jump.) Just writing and thinking about the fair has gotten my adrenaline pumpingI can't wait to get to the Armory! I hope to see you there. New York Antiquarian Book Fair April 11-14 Park Avenue Armory @ 67th Street Thursday Preview: 5pm-9pm Friday: Noon-8pm Saturday: Noon-7pm Sunday: Noon-5pm Events: Book Collecting 101, Saturday at 1pm Discovery Day, Noon-3pm *** Why Visit an Antiquarian Book Fair? For many readers of this blog, the answer is obvious, but based on the r... [more The Best Book Fair of the Year]

This past weekend was the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, which was held at the Hynes Convention Center. The Boston fair kicked off the ABAA's fair season, which includes our California show in February and New York show in April. Besides getting to see an abundance of fascinating and unique books, prints, maps, and ephemera, the fairs are the book world's opportunity to connect with friends and colleagues, and fair weekends always involve good books, food, drink, and conversation. This fair was no exception and a good time was had by all. Every ABAA fair also features lectures and presentations, and the Boston fair had some really interesting programs like "What's For Dinner", a presentation by Richard Gutman and Erin Williams that recounted the variety of factors that influenced cuisine in the 20th Century and an illustrated lecture by Martin Antonetti and Ron Patkus on "The Art of the Book in Wales." Attendees took advantage of the free appraisal program on Sunday afternoon, evidenced by the long line that persisted during the program's two hour slot. (It's worthwhile to note that every ABAA fair features an opportunity for attendees to have up to three books appraised on Sunday afternoon.) If you attended and had your books appraised, we'd love to hear from you about the experience. Thanks to all the exhibitors, attendees, and Commonwealth Promotion for another great fair! [more Boston Fair a Blast]

The New York Public Library currently has an exhibit on display in its flagship building entitled Charles Dickens: The Key to Character. The exhibit "celebrates the power of Dickens's characters to be imagined ever anew, examining important precedents for his art of characterization as well as intersections between his personal and his literary creations." A few of the items on display are artwork by over twenty illustrators, the memoranda book Dickens used to jot down possible character names, and his 1867 pocket diary that contained the code Dickens used to communicate with his mistress. Flavorwire noted a very interesting part of this exhibit that the NYPL website did not mention: a replication of Dickens's 'fake library'. After moving into Tavistock House in 1851, Dickens apparently wanted to fill a space in his study with fake books, the witty titles of which he came up with himself, and "wrote to a bookbinder with a list of 'imitation book-backs' to be created specially for his bookshelf." For the current exhibit curators at the NYPL recreated some titles from Dickens's imitation library, which included titles such as Jonah's Account of the Whale, Kant's Ancient Humbugs, Captain Parry's Virtue of Cold Tar, The Art of Cutting the Teeth, and Drowsy's Recollections of Nothing. (Additional images and titles can be found at the link.) I swear, every time I read something about Dickens, I learn something new; what a fascinating man! Check Out Charles Dickens' Library of Fake ... [more Charles Dickens's Fake Library Replicated in NYPL Exhibit]

The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America is delighted to announce the winners of the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest! First Prize: Jordan Haug, University of California San Diego, "Mormon Fundamentalism & Polygamy" Second Prize: Jessica Anne Kahan, University of Michigan, "Romance Novels in DJ, 1925-1935" Third Prize: Andrew Ferguson, University of Virginia, "Bibliography & Puzzle of R.A. Lafferty" Essay Prize: Kevin Baggot Roberts, Johns Hopkins University, "Cheap Thrills: Sex in American Publishing, 1924-1970" Congratulations to the winners! [more 2012 National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest Winners Announced!]

In a nod to ancient Greece, where poetry was considered as much of a sport in the Olympics as wrestling, NPR has been hosting the 'Poetry Games'. Poets from all over the world were invited to write an original piece celebrating athletes and athletics and submit the poem into the games. Each morning on Morning Edition a poem is selected and read, and then posted on the Poetry Games site. It is then up to NPR's audience to vote for their favorite poem. Love this! Here's a link to today's poem, Once More by Ales Steger, and you can cast your vote here. Be sure to check back at the Poetry Games section of the NPR site for a new poem each day! [more NPR Holds 'Poetry Games']

First Edition Cover Art The very rare first edition of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which I previously posted about, brought in �30,000 ($46,737) at auction in London last week. The book was inscribed by 'Jack' Lewis and was originally estimated to be worth �19,000 ($29,600.10). Rare Chronicles of Narnia book sells for �30,000 [more Update: First Edition Narnia Book Inscribed by 'Jack' Lewis]