James Bryant of Carpe Diem Fine Books entered the antiquarian book trade in 1995. James serves on the Board of Governors, chairs the By-Laws Committee, and is a member of both the Membership Committee and the Northern California Book Fair Committee. Carpe Diem Fine Books operates out of Monterey, CA and specializes in Western Americana, Californiana, Americana, Travel & Exploration, and General Antiquarian. ABAA Member since 1998. Interviewed by Taylor Bowie on October 11, 2009 at the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair.
Bookseller Interviews
A few years ago, Michael Ginsberg embarked upon an archival journey for the ABAA. Recognizing the absence of member histories in the ABAA annals, Michael began conducting video interviews of members at our three annual fairs. The interviews cover members' personal histories as well as their involvement in the rare book trade. The ABAA extends many thanks to Michael, as well as Taylor Bowie, who has also conducted a number of interviews.
James Bryant of Carpe Diem Fine Books entered the antiquarian book trade in 1995. James serves on the Board of Governors, chairs the By-Laws Committee, and is a member of both the Membership Committee and the Northern California Book Fair Committee. Carpe Diem Fine Books operates out of Monterey, CA and specializes in Western Americana, Californiana, Americana, Travel & Exploration, and General Antiquarian. ABAA Member since 1998. Interviewed by Taylor Bowie on October 11, 2009 at the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair.
Willis Monie began working for ABAA firm J&J Hanrahan while obtaining his Ph.D. in English. After graduating, he taught at the college level for two years and then returned to the rare book trade. Willis started his own book business in in 1979 and became a member of the ABAA in 1981. Willis Monie Books operates out of Cooperstown, NY and specializes in History, Literature, Baseball, Ephemera, Books About Books, and Theology. ABAA Member since 1981. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg on November 9, 2013 at the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Penelope Daly worked in the magazine industry and then taught high school social studies and English for a number of years prior to entering the rare book trade. She began selling books part-time in 1985, and in 1995 retired from teaching so that she could devote all of her time to bookselling. Penelope is a past President of the Long Island Antiquarian Booksellers' Association. WellRead Books operates out of Northport, NY and specializes in Children's Books, New York, Etiquette, Cultural History, and Christmas. ABAA Member since 1998. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg on November 9, 2013 at the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair.
David M. Szewczyk of The Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts Company has an extensive career of scholarly research and involvement in the rare book trade. While working on his Master's degree in Spanish and history, David volunteered as a cataloguer at the Lilly Library. After obtaining his MA, he continued his studies with advanced work in history and spent a year in Mexico conducting dissertation research as a Fulbright scholar. David became the Rosenbach Foundation's chief manuscripts cataloguer in 1973 and continued in that position for six years before leaving to run the Rare Books and Autographs department for a Philadelphia bookseller. He started PRB&M in 1984 and became a member of the ABAA the following year. The Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts Company specializes in Early Books of Europe and the Americas, U.S. and Latin Americana, Manuscripts, Mexico & New World Languages, Travels, Cookery, Law, and Religion. ABAA Member since 1985. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Laurence J. ("Jeff") Weber's family background is filled with English scholars, so it seems natural that Jeff would have a bookish career. His foray into rare book selling began with jobs working for William P. Wreden and then Zeitlin & Ver Brugge Booksellers. In 1987 Jeff formed his own firm in Los Angeles. Jeff Weber Rare Books specializes in Bibliography, California, Fore-Edge Painting, Medicine, Natural History, and Science and Technology. ABAA Member since 1990. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg on February 16, 2013 at the California International Antiquarian Book Fair in Pasadena.
Hosea Baskin's father was an avid book collectors and his mother still is, and his aunt and uncle were booksellers, so it seemed inevitable that he would end up in the field. Following several occupations in the rare book field, Hosea founded Cumberland Rare Books in Northampton, MA in 1995. Cumberland Rare Books specializes in Printed Books and Manuscripts 1500-1700, Renaissance, Reformation, Classics, Humanism, and Illustrated Books. ABAA Member since 1999. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Natalie Bauman and her husband David have been antiquarian booksellers since 1973. The Baumans were originally based out of Atlantic City, but Bauman Rare Books now operates out of three locations: New York, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. Bauman Rare Books specializes in Americana, Literature, Children's Books, History, Science, Economics, Medicine, Travel, Natural History, Judaica, Fine Sets, and Autographs. ABAA Member since 1980. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Stephen Eric Blackmer owns and operates Chanticleer Books in Sonoma, CA. He has been an antiquarian bookseller since 1985. Stephen specializes in Fine Books in many fields with an emphasis on Californiana, Western Americana, Jack London, and Food & Wine. ABAA Member since 1998. Interviewed by Taylor Bowie on October 11, 2009 at the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair.
David Brass of David Brass Rare Books, Inc. in Calabasas, CA has book-selling in his blood-- his family has been in the business since 1876, when the antiquarian firm E. Joseph was first established in London. David is a past President of the British Association of Antiquariam Booksellers (ABA), and managed his family's firm until 1993, when he moved to Los Angeles and began working for Heritage Book Shop, first as Director of Acquisitions and then as Vice President. He later began selling under his own name. David Brass Rare Books, Inc. specializes in English, American and European Literature, Children's Books, Color-Plate Books, illustrated Book, Early Printed Books, Private Press Books, Fine Bindings, Original Artwork, Manuscripts, High Spot Modern First Editions, and High Spots. ABAA Member since 2005. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Anne and David Bromer of Bromer Booksellers in Boston, MA began their career as antiquarian booksellers in 1966 and became members of the ABAA in 1976. Last year David completed and published Aun Aprendo: A Comprehensive Bibliography of the Writings of Aldous Leonard Huxley. The Bromers recently gave $2 million to the Boston Athenaeum to create the Anne C. and David J. Bromer Fund. Their donation will also support the Bromer Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Athenaeum. Bromer Booksellers specializes in First Editions, Fine Printing from Aldus to Ashendene, Illustrated Books, Calligraphic Manuscripts, Bindings, Children's Books, Miniature Books, and Fore-Edge Paintings. ABAA Member Since 1976. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Tom Congalton founded Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc. in 1986 along with his wife, Heidi, and since then has become a foremost expert in Modern Firsts. Tom has served on the NY Book Fair Committee, the Board of Governors, and was President of the Association from 2000-2002. Tom served as President of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) from 2012-2014. Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc. operates out of Gloucester City, NJ and specializes in Literary First Editions, 20th Century Literature, African-American Literature & History, Autographs, and Genre Fiction. ABAA Member since 1990. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Bob Fleck had a background in Chemical Engineering, but was a collector for years before he founded Oak Knoll Books in Newark, DE in 1976. Since its establishment, Oak Knoll Books has specialized in both out-of-print and in-print books about books, and in 1978 Bob founded Oak Knoll Press as a "logical extension of Oak Knoll Books". To date, Oak Knoll Press has published and distributed over 1,000 titles. ABAA Member from 1978-2016. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Russell Freedman founded Second Life Books, Inc., in Lanesborough, MA in 1972. Second Life Books, Inc. specializes in English, American and Continental Literature and Antiquarian Books, Books by and about Women, Americana, Abolition and other Social Reform Movements, Appraisal Services, and Natural History. ABAA Member since 1980. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Greg Gibson established Ten Pound Island Book Company in Gloucester, MA in 1976. Ten Pound Island Book Company specializes in Maritime History, Yachting, Whaling, U.S. Coastal History, New England, Lighthouses, Logs, Navigation, and Charts. Greg also writes "Bookman's Log", a weekly blog devoted to "news, gossip, recent adventures and acquisitions, and deep thinking about the antiquarian book trade." ABAA Member since 1986. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
Ed Glaser founded Edwin V. Glaser Rare Books in 1969 and became an ABAA member in 1970. He was President of the Association from 1986-1988, and Ed Glaser Scholarships to the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar are awarded by the ABAA's Woodburn Fund. Edwin V. Glaser Rare Books specializes in Science, Medicine, and Technology mostly before 1840. ABAA Member from 1970-2016. Interviewed by Michael Ginsberg at the California International Antiquarian Book Fair in Pasadena.