Rare Book Monthly

Articles - March - 2012 Issue

In Pursuit of the Serious Collector

Derek McDonnell introducing Anthony Payne as Hordern's UK representative

Derek McDonnell introducing Anthony Payne as Hordern's UK representative

I asked several English dealers about it and they said essentially the same thing.  Europeans have their hands full these days.  Sales at home are down while sales overseas are up.  So they go on the road and from what we can tell are succeeding.  In April many of these dealers will also be exhibiting in New York at the ABAA or satellite fair.

Other countries were also represented at the Pasadena fair:

Australia

Hordern House Rare Books

Douglas Stewart Fine Books

Austria

Antiquariat Michael Steinbach

Canada

Aquila Books

Helen R. Kahn & Assoc., Inc

Wilfrid M. de Freitas, Bookseller

Denmark

Herman H. J. Lynge & Son A/S

Sophia Rare Books

France

Librairie Ancienne des Trois Islets

Libraire Alain Brieus

Rodolphe Chamonal

Germany

Antiquariat Michael Banzhaf

Antiquariat Reinhold Berg

Antiquariat Michael Kuehn

Antiquariat Hans Lindner

Antiquariat Manfred Nosbusch

Italy

Philobiblon Roma

The Netherlands

Antiquariaat Forum B.V.

Leen Helmink Antique Maps

For east coast book collectors these dealers and others coming to exhibit from around the world are each in themselves a good reason to attend the New York fairs.  Rare Books are not often offered anymore on Main or High Street.  These days book fairs are the main thoroughfares for booksellers.  The booksellers understand this very well.  The web is powerful but to connect with dealers the shows are essential.

Links to the two recent west coast fairs and the one coming up in April in New York:

SF Book Fair

ABAA Pasadena Fair

ABAA New York Fair

Rare Book Monthly

  • ALDE, Apr. 8: GUEVARA (ANTONIO DE). Histoire de Marc-Aurèle, Empereur Romain, vray miroir et horloge des Princes. Paris, Pierre et Galliot du Pré, frères, 1565. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: HEURES DE LA VIERGE. Horæ in laudem beatissimæ virginis Mariæ ad usum Romanum. Paris, Charles L'Angelier, 1556. €4,000 to €5,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: MONTAIGNE (MICHEL DE). Les Essais. Édition nouvelle, trouvée après le deceds de l'autheur… Paris, Abel L'Angelier, 1595. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [ROJAS (FERNANDO DE)]. Celestina, tragicomedia di Calisto et Melibea, tradotta de lingua castigliana in italiano idioma… Venise, 1531. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CAMÕES (LUÍS DE). Os Lusiadas. Lisbonne, Pedro Crasbeeck, 1613. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Bruxelles, Roger Velpius & Huberto Antonio, 1611. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: LA FONTAINE (JEAN DE). Fables choisies, mises en vers. Paris, Denys Thierry et Claude Barbin, 1678-1694. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Madrid, Joaquin Ibarra, 1780. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: DIDEROT (DENIS) ET JEAN LE ROND D'ALEMBERT. Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. Paris, 1751-1765. €15,000 to €20,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. LAMARTINE (Alphonse de). Les Laboureurs. Poème tiré de Jocelyn… Lyon, J. A. Henry, 1883. €8,000 to €10,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. Livre de prières tissé d'après les enluminures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVIe siècle. Lyon, [A. Roux], 1886. €5,000 to €6,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts & Objects from Three Important Collections
    Open for Bidding 2-17 April
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: [Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun]. Le Roman de la Rose, [Geneva or Lyons, c.1481], first printed edition of the most important medieval French vernacular poem. £200,000 to £300,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Castiglione. Il libro del cortegiano. [Venice], April 1528, first edition, in a magnificent binding by Jean Picard for Jean Grolier. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Jacobus de Cessolis. Schachzabelbuch, Strasbourg, 1483, von der Lasa copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: World Championship, 1972. A collection of 84 press photographs of the famed match between Spassky and Fischer. £2,000 to £3,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Ben Franklin. Autograph letter signed, to Lord Shelburne, British Prime Minister, during peace negotiations, November 1782. £15,000 to £20,000.

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