Rare Book Monthly

Articles - March - 2019 Issue

The New York Antiquarian Book Fair returns to the Armory

The World's Largest and Most Important Antiquarian Book Fair

The World's Largest and Most Important Antiquarian Book Fair

The New York Antiquarian Book Fair returns to the Armory on Park Avenue at 67th Street, New York City over the weekend of March 7-10.  This fair is perennially the most important rare book event in the world and, as such, attracts participation from every continent except Antarctica.  For book collectors with a heartbeat this is your digitalis. 

 

The four day event opens at 5:00 pm on Thursday the 7th.  Experienced attendees tend to visit the event on opening night before the hundreds of shelves of important and collectible material have begun to be picked clean.  That said, so much material will be available that even, on the last day, appealing opportunities will remain.

 

On Friday the fair opens at noon and continues into the evening to 8:00 pm.  On Saturday the hours are noon to 7:00 pm and on Sunday noon to 5:00 pm.

 

On Saturday the two nearby symbiotic book fairs, the New York City Book and Ephemera Fair, and the Manhattan Vintage Book Fair, will see their audiences surge early as the morning on Saturday is free before the main show opens at noon.

 

On Saturday many events are scheduled and it’s suggested you reserve seats.  Here are the events:

 


1:00 p.m.

 

Books, Estates, & Deaccession: Finding Your Library's Next Home 


Presented by Allan Stypeck, Second Story Books (ABAA member)

hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the ABAA

 

2:00 p.m.

 

Voices from the Rare Book and Manuscript Section (RBMS): A Special Collections Roundtable

 

Dr. Jesse Ryan Erickson, Coordinator of Special Collections; Assistant Professor, English; Associate Director, Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Center, University of Delaware
Peter Kruty, Peter Kruty Editions, Brooklyn
Karin Suni, Curator of the Theatre Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia

 

Moderated and introduced by Diane Dias De Fazio, The New York Public Library

hosted by RBMS

 

3:15 p.m.

 

Expect the Unexpected: Uncovering & Appreciating Manuscript Diaries

 

Rick Stattler, Book Department Director & Americana Specialist, Swann Auction Galleries
Holly Mengel, Manuscripts Cataloging Librarian, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Penn Libraries

Lorne Bair, Lorne Bair Rare Books (ABAA member)
hosted by Swann Auction Galleries

 

4:15 p.m.

 

A First Hand Look at Second Hand Books

 

Kenneth Gloss, Second Generation Bookseller and Proprietor of the Brattle Book Shop (ABAA Member)

hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the ABAA

 

5:15 p.m.


An Introduction to Poster House, A New Museum in New York

Alphonse Mucha and Cyan

 

Presented by Julia Knight, Director, Poster House

hosted by Poster House

 

It’s good idea to see where the dealers are located that you particularly want to see.  The show is both large and it’s easy to get lost.  That will make your time employed for useful.

  

The show has a very good website.  Here’s a link to it.

 

https://www.nyantiquarianbookfair.com/

 

Have a great time!

 

Rare Book Monthly

  • SD Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions
    The Odfjell Collection
    Polar – History – Ornithology – Colour Plate Books
    Ending December 4th
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ROALD AMUNDSEN: «Sydpolen» [ The South Pole] 1912. First edition in jackets and publisher's slip case.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: AMUNDSEN & NANSEN: «Fram over Polhavet» [Farthest North] 1897. AMUNDSEN's COPY!
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ERNEST SHACKLETON [ed.]: «Aurora Australis» 1908. First edition. The NORWAY COPY.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ERNEST SHACKLETON: «The heart of the Antarctic» + SUPPLEMENT «The Antarctic Book», 1909.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: SHACKLETON, BERNACCHI, CHERRY-GARRARD [ed.]: «The South Polar Times» I-III, 1902-1911.
    SD Scandinavian Art & Rare Book Auctions
    The Odfjell Collection
    Polar – History – Ornithology – Colour Plate Books
    Ending December 4th
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: [WILLEM BARENTSZ & HENRY HUDSON] - SAEGHMAN: «Verhael van de vier eerste schip-vaerden […]», 1663.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: TERRA NOVA EXPEDITION | LIEUTENANT HENRY ROBERTSON BOWERS: «At the South Pole.», Gelatin Silver Print. [10¾ x 15in. (27.2 x 38.1cm.) ].
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: ELEAZAR ALBIN: «A natural History of Birds.» + «A Supplement», 1738-40. Wonderful coloured plates.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: PAUL GAIMARD: «Voyage de la Commision scientific du Nord, en Scandinavie, […]», c. 1842-46. ONLY HAND COLOURED COPY KNOWN WITH TWO ORIGINAL PAINTINGS BY BIARD.
    Scandinavian Art & Rare Books Auctions, Dec. 4: JAMES JOYCE: «Ulysses», 1922. FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL WRAPPERS.
  • Sotheby’s
    Book Week
    December 9-17, 2025
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
  • Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly!
  • Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 9, 2025
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
    Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.

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