B O O K F A I R S
The World's Greatest Bookstore
From city to city, for only a few days at a time, booksellers and book
collectors assemble and among themselves create, temporarily, the
world's greatest bookstore: an antiquarian book fair. The variety is
infinite in books as well as people. With dozens of booksellers, some
exhibiting the very best of their merchandise reserved especially for
sale at that book fair, and others taking advantage of the fair to find
customers, at advantageous prices, for out-of-field or highly
specialized material, the experienced book fair visitor expects the
unexpected. The inexperienced book fair visitor will quickly be able to
discover, in the most efficient possible manner, the wide range of
materials routinely handled by antiquarian booksellers. A major book
fair is the perfect place to find out what is available, who has it, or
who might be able to get it for you, whether your taste runs to the
sublime, the ordinary, or simply the hard-to-find.
The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America maintains the
highest standards in the antiquarian book trade, and sponsors the
nation's leading book fairs. Exhibitors at ABAA fairs must be members
in good standing of the national association and are bound by the ABAA
Code of Ethics. The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America is
affiliated with the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers,
and subscribes to its resolution on book fairs, the text of which
follows.
RESOLVED
This book fair is officially sanctioned by the International League of
Antiquarian Booksellers, the largest trade organization of its kind in
the world.
This means that the consumer can rely upon the experience of
participating dealers and the authenticity of the items available for
purchase. Simply stated, all books, manuscripts and related material
have been carefully examined for completeness and bibliographical
accuracy.
The level of inspection will ordinarily depend on the value of the
item(s) offered. Sometimes short notations of defects are lightly
penciled near the price. More valuable material is usually described in
detail on slips that are loosely inserted. Please read them carefully.
Any item is returnable for a full cash refund if defects or
bibliographical inaccuracies are found, providing: 1) inspection is
made and reported within thirty days of receipt (an immediate phone
call or fax is urged); and 2) material is returned in the same
condition as when it was sold.
All ILAB members are obliged to abide by this warranty, and any violator is subject to expulsion from the League.
