398 Reasons to Go to the New York Book Fairs March 7-10
- by Bruce E. McKinney
Three Rare Book, Manuscript, Map, Book Arts and Ephemera Fairs all over the same weekend in New York. For those who love collectible paper and related materials this is your moment.
The Manhattan Vintage Book & Ephemera Fair and Fine Press Fair will take place in the exhibition space at St. Vincent Ferrer Church on Saturday March 9th for dealers to exhibit and sell their works on paper. This show is a combination of traditional rare book and ephemera sellers with a strong contingent of book arts exhibitors, all members of the Fine Press Books Association of New York. Most years, when I can be in New York for these fairs, I buy something in the book arts category at this fair and am always pleased.
This fair, now in its 10th year, was once the only ‘shadow’ fair over the ABAA’s New York Weekend but Marvin Getman of Impact Events brought his thinking to the ABAA weekend 5 years ago and he has slowly created a significant alternative event, his the New York City Book and Ephemera Fair. Between these the number of this year will be 400. Mr. Getman expects 118 exhibitors at his two day Saturday-Sunday event at the Sheraton at 811 7th Avenue, the ABAA 215 exhibitors for its 4 day event and the Saturday show at St. Vincent Ferrer 65.
These two shadow or auxiliary shows significantly increase the importance of this most important weekend for collectible paper in North America.
For those able, the best way to see these fairs is to attend the ABAA’s opening night gala on Thursday the 7th. It opens at 5:00 pm at the Armory at 643 Park Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets on the east side. The tickets are $60- but many collectors and institutions have access to free passes that exhibiting dealers will share. For the shadow fairs there are various ways to get free or reduced price tickets that are cheap at twice the price.
On Saturday begin your day early and get to the Getman event at 8:00 am. Allow 2 hours. Material is priced and the clock is running. Offers are encouraged and frequently accepted. Then run, walk, bus or taxi over to the Manhattan Vintage Book Fair. If you haven’t arranged a free or reduced price ticket, take out your wallet and take the plunge. A good cup of coffee in the Big Apple can cost you more.
At noon on Saturday the ABAA fair opens for its third day. If you didn’t scoop up the Gutenberg leaf on opening night, it may be that no one else has either and if not, seller optimism confronting third day reality may weaken pricing resolve just a little. If you’re serious you can always ask.
The dealers on the floor in the ABAA show will be tougher with their very valuable and unique stock, while exhibitors at the shadow fairs will quickly negotiate if they can. The shadow fairs last longer than 4 hours but most of the significant activity occurs before 1:00 pm on Saturday so experienced shadow exhibitors move quickly to close deals as they know the morning traffic will quickly disappear.
The Getman fair will have the benefit of Marvin’s gift for publicity and promotion so expect a good crowd there over its two day run.
Over the years I have bought at all three fairs. Some material is reasonably and others fully priced. You have to know the difference as well as how to say no to things you would love to have but that aren’t worth the price. If you are a Rare Book Hub paid member you’ll have our 8.8 million record database in your pocket to check values if you have a cell phone. From a phone the address is mobile.rarebookhub.com and remember to know your log-in ID and password. If you aren’t sure we’ll provide it by phone at 877.323.7273.
Have a great time. Find something or some things that resonate.
Sotheby’s Shelf Life: Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper from the Library of Stanley J. Seeger and Christopher Cone 25 June – July 7
Sotheby’s, July 7: Ludwig van Beethoven. Autograph sketches for the overture "Die Weihe des Hauses", op.124, [1822], UNPUBLISHED. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice, 1813, first edition, 3 volumes, contemporary half calf. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass, Brooklyn, 1855, first edition, first issue, original green cloth, the Doheny copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: Binding—Sangorski & Sutcliffe—Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat, London, 1872, third edition, in a magnificent jewelled Peacock binding. £15,000 to £20,000.
Sotheby’s, July 7: George Eliot. Middlemarch, Edinburgh and London, 1871, first edition in the original parts. £20,000 to £30,000.
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: Hassall (Joan) A large collection of over 300 original woodblocks of engravings for various books, v.d., with Hassall's engraver's glass water-globe (Qty) - Est. £10,000-15,000
Forum, July 9: Eragny Press.- [Bradley (Katherine Harris) & Edith Emma Cooper], "Michael Field." Whym Chow, Flame of Love, one of only 27 copies, inscribed by Bradley, the rarest book from the press, 1914. - Est. £3,000-4,000
Forum, July 9: [Moore (Thomas Sturge)] [Wood Engravings], 71 wood-engravings printed by David Chambers from the original blocks, the only set on Japanese Hosho paper, from an edition of 5 sets, [1970]. - Est. £3,000-4,000
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: La Fontaine (Jean de) Contes et Nouvelles en vers, 2 vol., engraved plates after Eisen, fine early 19th century blue morocco, gilt, by Bradel l'ainé, Amsterdam [Paris], 1762. - Est. £2,000-3,000
Forum, July 9: Erotica.- Prostitution.- Pretty Women of Paris (The); Their Names and Addresses, Qualities and Faults..., [Paris], privately printed at the Press of the Prefecture de Police, 1883. - Est. £3,000-4,000
Forum, July 9: Vale Press.- Ricketts (Charles) & Lucien Pissarro. De la Typographie et de l'Harmonie de la Page Imprimée…, [one of 216 copies], bound in dark blue morocco tooled in gilt, by Sarah T.Prideaux, 1898. - Est. £1,000-1,500
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: Martin (John) Illustrations of the Bible, complete set of 20 mezzotints, good impressions, rarely found in early states, [c.1831-1835]. - Est. £1,000-1,500
Forum, July 9: Golden Cockerel Press.- Four Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ (The), one of 500 copies, Mary Gill's copy, Waltham St. Lawrence, 1931 with a signed proof of engraving on japon numbered 10/10 (2) - Est. £5,000-7,000
Forum, July 9: Boccaccio (Giovanni) The Decameron, 3 vol., vol.1 extra-illustrated by John Buckland Wright with c.150 erotic original drawings in pen & ink and pencil, 1886 [extra-illustrated c.1940]. - Est. £10,000-15,000
Forum Auctions The Private Library: Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers July 9, 2026
Forum, July 9: Cox (Morris) Collection of Gogmagog Press Books, 35 vol., rare complete collection of printed books issued by the press, limited editions, most signed by Cox, 1957-83. - Est. £10,000-15,000
Forum, July 9: Wynkyn de Worde.- [Terentius Afer (Publius)] [Comedie...], [Paris, Josse Badius: sold in London by Wynkyn de Worde, & others], [15 July 1504]. - Est. £4,000-6,000
Forum, July 9: Mosley (James) Ornamented Types. Twenty-Three Alphabets from the Foundry of Louis John Pouchée, 2 vol., one of 10 copies for presentation, from an edition of 210, 1992-93. - Est. £1,000-2,000
Forum Auctions The 10th Anniversary Sale Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper July 16, 2026
Forum, July 16: Inundation papyrus. P.Michael 4, the ‘Inundation papyrus’, a geographical account of the Nile near Canopus, in Greek, remains of two columns from a manuscript scroll on papyrus, Egypt, second century CE. £12,000-18,000
Forum, July 16: Book of Hours, use of Sarum, manuscript on vellum, 6 full-page miniatures, with famous Middle English inscriptions, Southern Netherlands for the English market, [c.1430]. £30,000-50,000
Forum, July 16: Qu'ran, Arabic manuscript on burnished, stencilled, and gold-flecked paper, 447ff., Sultanate Gujarat, Ahmadabad, [after 1411 but no later than 1442]. £15,000-20,000
Forum Auctions The 10th Anniversary Sale Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper July 16, 2026
Forum, July 16: Turner (William). A New boke of the natures and properties of all wines that are commonly vsed here in England, rare first edition of the first English book on wine, By William Seres, 1568. £20,000-£30,000
Forum, July 16: Spenser (Edmund). The Faerie Queene. first edition, Printed [by John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, 1590. £30,000-40,000
Forum, July 16: Shakespeare (William). The Comedie of Errors, extracted from the first folio, Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount, 1623. £15,000-20,000
Forum Auctions The 10th Anniversary Sale Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper July 16, 2026
Forum, July 16: Fleming (Ian). Casino Royale, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1953. £40,000-60,000
Forum, July 16: d'Agoty (Jacques-Fabien Gautier). Anatomie de la Tête, first edition, Paris, chez le Sieur Gautier, 1748. £10,000-15,000
Forum, July 16: Martial Arts.- Lee (Bruce). 'Praying Mantis style' Kung Fu book, containing numerous annotations, diagrams and graphs in Bruce Lee's hand, c. 1960. £50,000-70,000
Forum Auctions The 10th Anniversary Sale Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper July 16, 2026
Forum, July 16: Warre (Capt. Henry James). Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory, first edition, rare hand-coloured issue, 1848. £30,000-40,000
Forum, July 16: Norie (John William). The Marine Atlas, or Seaman's Complete Pilot for all the principal places in the known world..., 1826. £30,000-50,000
Forum, July 16: Mao Tse-tung.- Kim Il-sung.-[Note book for visitors from China to Korea], signed by Mao and Kim, [Beijing, 1954]. £10,000-15,000
