The Antiquarian Booksellers' Benevolent Fund Since its founding in 1952 by a group of ABAA members, the Antiquarian Booksellers' Benevolent Fund has been dedicated throughout its history to providing timely financial assistance to those in the book trade who find themselves in a time of need. Originally known as The Charles Grand Memorial Fund (a founder's reminiscence can be found below), it was specifically meant to provide “for the assistance of needy persons, regardless of affiliation, who are or have been engaged in the business of selling and dealing in books, manuscripts, and printed matter in general,” with the only proviso being that funds may be granted only for personal needs, not for business needs. In a typical year, the Fund gives a total of $40,000 in one-time disbursements to booksellers in need, the majority of whom are not members of the ABAA. Historically, the Fund has been sustained by donations from ABAA members, their generosity born out of their understanding of how precarious a livelihood in the book trade can sometimes be. Most antiquarian booksellers are individual proprietors with limited capital, and are especially vulnerable to unanticipated ill-health, accidents, natural disasters or other types of misfortune. The Antiquarian Booksellers' Benevolent Fund is administered by a group of Trustees comprised of the three most recent Presidents of the ABAA. The ABAA regards its stewardship of the Benevolent Fund as one of its most important responsi... [more Donate to the Benevolent and Woodburn Funds]
12/14/20: Update, this parcel has been delivered and the items are no longer missing. *** A parcel containing the following items has gone missing from the porch of a customer in Kentfield, CA: 1. Bayard Taylor. Eldorado (1850). 2 volumes. First edition, slipcase 2. Alfred Robinson. Life in California (1846). First edition. 3. Zachary Taylor. California and New Mexico (1850). Ex-Newberry Lib. 4. Anthony Bledsoe. Indian Wars (1883). First edition. 5. Robert Louis Stevenson. Silverado Squatters (1883). First edition, slipcase. 6. Theodore Hittell. History of California (1885). 2 volumes. First edition. 7. Winfield Davis. History of the Political Conventions (1893). First edition. If offered, please contact Justin McShea of Star of the Sea Books: P.O. Box 1307 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 www.staroftheseabooks.com justin@staroftheseabooks.com Tel. 917-690-2550 [more Update: Missing in Transit to Kentfield, CA]
The ABAA Women's Initiative is proud to announce the launch of the ABAA Mentorship Program in an effort to further the ABAA's mission to promote ethical standards and professionalism in the antiquarian book trade, to encourage the collecting and preservation of rare and antiquarian books and related materials, and to facilitate collegial relations within the trade. Goals Further the mission of the ABAA Provide dealers early in their careers with the opportunity to advance their professional development Build a recruitment pipeline for the Association that enhances the number of qualified applicants Advance the diversity of new members Afford mentees the opportunity to build a relationship with an ABAA member Educate potential candidates about a career in the trade (for example, graduate students looking for a profession outside of academia) Structure With the assistance of the Women's Initiative, mentors and mentees will be paired with consideration of a variety of factors such as any specific requests, specialization/area of focus, and business structure. Location could also be a point of consideration but, with the availability of technology like Zoom/Skype, need not be a requirement. Once paired, mentors and mentees will commence a one year period of mentorship. Over the course of the year, mentors and mentees are required to have face to face communication for a minimum of 1-2 hours each month (this could be completed electronically). The schedule structure to meet this r... [more ABAA Mentorship Program]
Rare books and ephemera can be a fascinating avenue to examine the past and understand what was really happening during significant events or time periods. We took a deep dive into the database to see what light our members offerings could shine on America's new favorite drama... The Queen's Gambit Netflix's #1 new show is the coming-of-age story of a female chess prodigy struggling with addiction and the chauvinism inherent in 1960's American society. Based on Walter Tevis's 1983 novel of the same name, the show is being talked about for many reasons, not the least of which is the way it revels in decidedly analog pleasures -- the slow, methodical game of chess itself and the fashions of the 1960s -- and a very retro style of editing at odds with the frantic pace of modern television. At the same time, its vision of glass ceilings shattering and the importance of a team of like-minded friends to support each other speaks directly to issues very much on our minds at the current moment. Chess lovers have noted the accuracy and care with which the chess games themselves are depicted, which is no surprise considering the show recruited Grand Master Garry Kasparov and noted chess instructor Bruce Pandolfini (who also helped proof-read the original novel!) to oversee the gameplay and coach the actors on the nuances of competitive chess. In this time of social isolation, games like chess are discovering new fans and inspiring older ones to return to the board (the so-called "pandem... [more Behind The Queen’s Gambit]
The Boston Virtual Book Fair will take place at www.abaa.org/vbf from 11AM EST on Thursday, November 12 until 7PM EST on Saturday, November 14, 2020. Schedule: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 11AM EST Patron Preview Patron Preview tickets are available here... (A portion of proceeds supports the ABAA Benevolent Fund.) FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 11AM EST Book Fair Opens for Free Admission 1PM EST Julia Child and Company: Culinary Delights at the Schlesinger Library Details and register for this event... 2PM EST Virtual Scavenger Hunt Begins Details to be shared via the ABAA Facebook page at 2PM EST on Friday, November 13. 3PM EST The Curious Case of Chloe Russell's “The Complete Fortune Teller and Dream Book” Details and register for this event... 5PM EST Reading the Drink/Drinking the Read Details and register for this event... SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 11:30AM EST Boston Virtual Book Fair Tour: The Art of the Book Details and register for this event... 1PM EST Historical Artifacts and the Myths of the Women's Voting Rights Movement Details and register for this event... 3PM EST The Ticknor Society Collectors' Roundtable Details and register for this event... 7PM EST Virtual Book Fair Closes For more information about the Boston Virtual Book Fair visit www.abaa.org/vbf... For tickets to the Patron Preview click here... To register for all other events at the Boston Virtual Book Fair, click here... [more Boston Virtual Book Fair Schedule]
What to expect at the first Boston Virtual Book Fair Unlike a conventional book fair, which closes each night and reopens in the mornings, the Boston Virtual Book Fair will remain open from 11am EST on November 12 to close at 7pm EST on Saturday, November 14. However, there's more to the fair than just browsing online listings of rare books and related ephemera -- a number of special events will take place during the fair. Online programming on Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14, will feature curator Marylène Altieri exploring the culinary collection at Harvard's Schlesinger Library, including the papers of famed chef Julia Child; Nicole Aljoe, director of the Africana Studies Program at Northeastern University, sharing her latest research around a recently discovered mysterious 19th century text by Chloe Russell, “A Woman of Color of the state of Massachusetts, also commonly termed the Old Witch, or Black Interpreter” at the Boston Athenaeum; Boston-based scholars/curators Allison Lange and Theo Tyson discussing the Women's Suffrage Movement from the perspective of its visual representation; and The Ticknor Society's popular Collectors' Roundtable. Schedule: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 11AM-7PM EST Patron Preview Patron Preview tickets are available here... (A portion of proceeds supports the ABAA Benevolent Fund.) Be the first to browse and shop 150+ dealers at the Boston Virtual Book Fair. An alluring treasure trove awaits seasoned collectors as well as new visitors. T... [more Boston Book Fair Programming]
Join us for some Virtual Book Fair fun! The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America will host a Virtual Book Fair Scavenger Hunt via Facebook on November 13th and 14th. Enter for your chance to win a $500 gift certificate! Browse through the thousands of items shown on the Boston Virtual Book Fair website in search of the best and most creative answers to all five items on the Scavenger Hunt List! To enter, head to the ABAA Facebook page, and post: Five answers including links to the items in the Book Fair Be sure to use the hashtag #bvbfhunt and tag the ABAA's Facebook Account @ABAARareBooks! SCAVENGER HUNT LIST 1. Find an item with a connection to something on television 2. Find a book description that passes the book equivalent of the Bechdel test (no mention of a man anywhere in the description) 3. Find a printed book issued in an edition of fewer than 50 copies 4. Find an image of someone (or something) making a bad decision 5. Find an item inscribed or annotated by an author with at least 20 words BONUS: Post your favorite item in the fair! Contest Rules No purchase is necessary to enter or win, and purchases will not increase your chances of winning. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered, or associated with Facebook, and is void where prohibited. 1. CONTEST PERIOD The Contest begins on November 13, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard time and ends on November 14, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard time. These are the hours the Boston Vir... [more Boston Virtual Book Fair Scavenger Hunt]
The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair is going virtual this year! An alluring treasure trove awaits seasoned collectors as well as new visitors at the 44th annual Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, which will be held virtually November 12-14, 2020. The event will showcase the finest in rare and valuable books, illuminated manuscripts, autographs, ephemera, political and historic documents, maps, atlases, photographs, fine and decorative prints, and much more. Collectors will be able to virtually peruse the booths of every exhibitor in the Fair or quickly visit their favorite dealers, hosted in an easy-to-navigate online version of the traditional book fair booth. A search feature will allow visitors to quickly browse by category, dealer, or keyword—with each item featuring a brief description, condition, and price—and they can contact dealers directly to learn more about the items for sale. Each exhibitor will showcase up to 50 of their most interesting and significant pieces, creating a remarkable and diverse selection of items from around the world. Fresh items will be available throughout the weekend as dealers will be continually restocking their virtual booths. With the Fair moving 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.! Signup to learn more about this and other virtual book fairs sponsored by the ABAA... Preview Day The 2020 Boston Book Fair will lau... [more The Boston Book Fair Goes Virtual]
HBO's latest hit show, "Lovecraft Country" is based on Matt Ruff's 2016 novel of the same name which mines the horror and mythology of H.P. Lovecraft, but instead of hiding his racist views, highlights them by having a group of African Americans from Chicago encounter both racists and supernatural forces in Lovecraft's New England during the Jim Crow period. H.P. Lovecraft has long been praised as a visionary and trailblazer for American fantasy; and is regarded as "second only to Edgar Allan Poe in the annals of American supernatural literature" by critic Michael Dirda. A prolific writer, Lovecraft was nevertheless unable to make a significant income from his fiction during his life. His reputation and influence only increased after his death, and there are now many collectors of his work, both serious and casual. Most of his stories were published in pulp magazines during his life, which can present challenges for collectors who wish to own copies of the magazines in which various stories made their first appearance. His work has been widely collected and anthologized in recent decades. After his death, his friends and fellow horrow writers August Derleth and Donald Wandrei attempted to interest major publishers in a collection of his best work, but found traditional publishers had little interest in occult horror. They formed a publishing company, Arkham House, specifically to reprint Lovecraft's stories, and over the decades published much of Lovecraft's fiction, as well ... [more Exploring Lovecraft Country]
The winners of the 2020 National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest have been chosen. They are: First: Alan Tu, Harvard University: "Found in Translation: Contemporary World Fiction Revisited." (download Alan's entry) Second: Jack Swab, University of Kentucky: "Gay Spaces: Travel Guides and Maps for the LGBTQ Community, 1969-2001." (download Jack's entry) Third: Brendan W. Clark, Trinity College: "The Baron Colchester: Recreating the Library of a 19th Century English Parliamentarian and Country Gentleman in Substance and Subject." (download Brendan's entry) Essay: Matthew O. Weinstock, Washington University in St. Louis: "Party-Bottom Paperbacks: Cruising Bookstores in Search of Queer History." (download Matthew's entry) The National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest is jointly administered by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies (FABS), the Grolier Club, and the Center for the Book and the Rare Books and Special Collections Division (the Library of Congress) Congratulations to all the winners of the 2020 National Collegiate Book Collecting Competition! Meet the 2019 NCBCC winners... Meet the 2018 NCBCC winners... [more 2020 NCBCC Winners]