Book Fairs

The ABAA New York International Antiquarian Book Fair (NYIABF) -- officially sanctioned by Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) and International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) and produced and managed by Sanford L. Smith + Associates -- returns to the Park Avenue Armory in New York City from April 4-7, 2024, for its 64th Edition. This year, the ABAA is celebrating its 75th anniversary and will present a series of special events & programs tied to the Fair. The NYIABF is a cultural pillar of New York and returns as a much-anticipated highlight of the spring season. Universally referred to as the world's finest antiquarian book fair, NYIABF features nearly 200 exhibitors this year from around the world -- continuing to live up to its reputation as a highly international fair. The Fair attracts a diverse audience of literary luminaries, influencers, celebrities, art, design and book enthusiasts and collectors both seasoned and entry level. In recent years, the NYIABF has increasingly captured the attention of young collectors seeking one-of-a-kind offerings at more accessible price points. Fair highlights encompass art, science, medicine, literature, history, gastronomy, fashion, first editions, Americana, philosophy, children's books and much more. From the historic and academic, the religious and spiritual, to the bedrock of secular culture, finance, politics, the NYIABF boasts offerings in every conceivable genre and subject! This year, the NYIABF... [more New York Book Fair 2024]

The ABAA and Sanford L. Smith & Associates are proud to announce that the British Library will be the institutional partner for ABAA Connect at this year's New York International Antiquarian Book Fair. A program resurrected from the early 2000's, ABAA Connect will allow our 2024 institutional partner, the British Library, to request items at the NYIABF from exhibitors, and have those items purchased for the Library as recommended by tax-advantaged contributions from donors to the American Trust for the British Library (ATBL). British Library curators will browse a list of items exhibitors will bring to the fair and choose items they are interested in acquiring. Our British Library and ATBL colleagues and donors will attend the fair and discover these items together in person, and donors can either contribute the value of an item in its entirety or make a gift in part to the acquisition value for a particular item. Unique to the 2024 ABAA Connect program: the ATBL will guarantee the acquisitions requested by British Library curators. The NYIABF hopes this program will expose curators to exciting items, connect booksellers with the British Library and their curators, entice donors to attend the fair and purchase items that will benefit both the British Library and their personal collections, and inspire any fairgoer to become a donor. Location Park Avenue Armory 643 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065 www.armoryonpark.org Preview: $75 (Includes one daily re-admission) Single-Day A... [more ABAA & British Library Bring ABAA Connect to New York Book Fair in April]

How does one shop an ABAA Virtual Book Fair? Our Virtual Book Fairs combine the convenience of online commerce with the community of in-person book fairs. Just like at an physical book fair, you will be able to: browse the inventory of many exhibitors, but now with the advantage of only having to check out once no matter how many exhibitors you purchase from! speak with the exhibitors in real time, via digital tools like FaceTime and Zoom. be among the first to have the opportunity to buy newly acquired or cataloged items from the most-reputable dealers in the business. shop the fair for a set time only. Our virtual book fairs last for 2-4 days. So arrive early, make a plan to visit the exhibitors you know, and find the material you want! Browsing Options By exhibitor — Browse your favorite booksellers first (organized alphabetically) By aisle — It's a big fair, and you'll want to see every exhibitor. In this case our aisles correspond to geographic region. By product type — Are you particularly interested in maps or photographs? In search of autographs or ephemera? Hunting certain modern first editions? — This is another way to zero in on the items of most interest to you. By budget — Shop items under $500 and don't get distracted by the big-ticket items (as amazing as those may be). By specific item — A keyword search will quickly show you the item(s) you want without having to spend hours walking the show floor! How is an ABAA Virtual Book Fair different from a... [more How to Shop a Virtual Book Fair]

Save the date for the ABAA Virtual Book Fair: Winter Edition! March 7-9, 2024 www.abaa.org/vbf Explore the finest rare books, manuscripts, maps, prints, and ephemera at our next virtual book fair. The doors will open at 12pm ET on Thursday, March 7 and remain open continuously until 7pm ET on Saturday, March 9. We invite you to shop the virtual booths of leading antiquarian booksellers from around the world and discover their latest acquisitions and rare finds. View participating dealers here... For more information visit: www.abaa.org/vbf... [more Virtual Book Fair: Winter Edition]

The 56th California International Antiquarian Book Fair is returning to San Francisco next month. The fair, sponsored by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), takes place February 9-11, 2024, at Pier 27 (cruise ship terminal). Widely recognized as one of the world's largest exhibitions of antiquarian books for sale, more than 100 exhibitors from around the world will present rare books, maps, illustrations, historical documents, and ephemera on a vast array of subjects and genres. “Post-pandemic, we are seeing resurgent demand for in-person fairs, where a global community of the top dealers offers the most sought-after collections of books, maps, illustrations, and ephemera. The experience of attending in person is like no other – it's a real-life treasure hunt.” -- Julie Roper, Director of the 56th California International Antiquarian Book Fair The fair boasts offerings in every conceivable genre including the first-ever catalog on the history of artificial intelligence (AI) from Novato book dealer and ABAA member Jeremy Norman. Part of this timely collection is an extremely rare, first edition pamphlet published in 1832 by Russian statistician and inventor Semyon Korsakov on what is believed to be one of the first machine-learning devices. Korsakov was a pioneer in the concept of “mechanized thought,” or artificial intelligence. The nearly 200-year-old AI print ephemera will be on exhibit and offered at the purchase price of $35,000. This ext... [more California Book Fair 2024]

Join us for an in-person Bibliography Week Showcase at the French Institute: Alliance Française, Monday, January 22, 2024. Opening Hours: 10:30am-4pm The Showcase features 30 dealers displaying printed and manuscript material from the Middle Ages to the present day. Admission is free! Browse exhibiting dealers here… Location: French Institute: Alliance Française 60th Street between Park and Madison, NYC. The Bibliography Week Showcase is hosted with the Bibliographical Society of America and the Grolier Club and is part of Bibliography Week 2024. Learn more... [more Bibliography Week Showcase 2024]

Join the ABAA Gender Equity Initiative for a Networking Reception at this year's Boston Antiquarian Book Fair. The reception will take place on Saturday, October 28th at 7 pm EST, at the Fairfax Room (3rd floor) of the Sheraton Boston Back Bay. Stop by for a quick refreshment before your dinner plans. ALL ARE WELCOME. The ABAA Gender Equity Initiative (previously the Women's Initiative) promotes greater participation of women and other people of underrepresented gender identities in the book trade. The goals of the initiative are to promote gender equity in the trade, facilitate gender-inclusive recruitment efforts, and expand diversity in the market by developing a wider spectrum of collectors and collections. We hope to see you there! [more ABAA Gender Equity Initiative Networking Reception]

The 45th Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston's Back Bay, October 27-29, 2023. (More details here...) Celebrating its 45th year, this three-day event features fine and rare printed material from around the globe, including illuminated manuscripts, modern first editions, childrens books, ephemera, photographs, maps and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics brought to you by members of the ABAA and ILAB. Here is a selection of the items our exhibitors will be offering at the Fair... . Child's own Book. Kindlein's Lieblingsbuch. Le favori des enfants. Images indéchirables. Indestructible pictures. Anzerreissbare Bilder. Small 4to (200 × 165 mm), pp. ; illustrated throughout, hand-coloured lithographed leaves; original publisher's illustrated cloth (reproducing the title-page), a few marks. First edition of quite possibly the first German children's book to be printed on cloth, thereby making it 'indestructible' for giving to small children. Geissler (1802–1872), a children's book illustrator, began publishing children's books and ephemera in Nuremberg in 1830. The fact that the title is given in English, German, and French shows he must have had an eye on the export market. Offered by Simon Beattie Ltd., booth 116. Reichenbach (Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig) Album of drawings and watercolours of nocturnal birds, , c.1880 An album with 127 fine original illustrations of nocturnal birds, most in wat... [more Boston Book Fair: Featured Items]

Boston-Book-Fair-2023-Header

2023 Boston Book Fair

By Rich Rennicks

The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair (BIABF) returns to the Hynes Convention Center in Downtown Boston, October 27-29, 2023. Celebrating its 45th year, this three-day event features fine and rare printed materials from around the globe, including illuminated manuscripts, modern first editions, children's books, ephemera, photographs, maps and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics. For more information, visit www.bostonbookfair.com... ABOUT THE FAIR More than 100 rare-book dealers from Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, the UK, and the US will exhibit an alluring treasure trove for seasoned bibliomaniacs and first-time attendees. Prices range from the millions to the eminently affordable. Each item on view, whether immaculately preserved or intriguingly weathered, tells its own story. Each bookseller holds a seemingly bottomless wealth of knowledge, both artistically and historically, about each item in their collection. “This is one of the most important annual events in the country for rare book enthusiasts,” says Julie Roper, CEO of Capricorn Event Management, LLC, who has managed the Boston Book Fair since 2015. “After the height of the pandemic, we are seeing resurgent demand for in-person fairs, where a global community of the top dealers offer the most sought-after collections of books, maps, illustrations, and ephemera on the market.” Whether browsing or buying, the Fair offers something for every taste and bud... [more 2023 Boston Book Fair]

The California International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to San Francisco in 2024! The fair will take place February 9-11 at Pier 27, a new venue located on the Embarcadero between Fisherman's Wharf and the Ferry Building. The building is well-appointed, with remarkable views of the San Francisco Bay and downtown San Francisco. There is easy access for visitors, ample parking, and nearby public transportation, including San Francisco's historic street cars. The neighborhood is bright and open, frequented by tourists, and well-loved by locals. There are numerous restaurants in the neighborhood and a wide range of hotels. In addition, the Exploratorium, Coit Tower, North Beach, and City Lights Bookshop are all within a short walk. The new venue promises to be popular, and we strongly encourage you to register soon! The dates of the fair are: Friday, February 9, through Sunday, February 11, 2024. ABAA and ILAB members can register here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5059424 Information for exhibitors can be found here: https://www.abaa.org/cabookfair/exhibitor-information-sf-2024 [more 2024 California Book Fair Registration Open]