Ken Karmiole, ABAA, downsizing

- by Bruce E. McKinney

Ken Karmiole, after 45 years in the trade and 18 years in his current office in Santa Monica, he’s now 75, and moving, making room for the next generation of Hollywood stars.  To relocate, he’s downsizing to something smaller and quieter. 

 

Beyond selling the real estate he now needs to sell his general inventory and has since completed that sale and transfer to Mark Funke [ABAA] in Mill Valley, north of San Francisco where his stock is now in younger hands.  

 

This then leaves to sell his 4,000 volume research library and this brief piece is to let those interested know that Ken is open to a negotiated transaction.

 

Here is how he recently described this material:

 

I am now looking to find a buyer for my extensive bibliographical reference library.  It is quite comprehensive, with about 3,500 titles (4,000 volumes) in all fields.  I have always been a generalist, with an emphasis in early printed books, but have purchased many reference books on children's literature, Americana, travel & voyages, science and medicine, music, fine printing, theatre, English and American literature, you name it. 

 

Of course I have all the standard reference sets such as the British Library's Catalogue of 15th century books (13 volumes), Palau y Dulcet's Manual del Librero Hispano-Americano (35 volumes), Brunet, Graesse, Voet, Baudrier, etc., etc. I think it is one of the best general rare book reference libraries in the trade. 

 

About it I’m certain my investment has been 100k or more.  Nevertheless I am willing to take a very reduced price for the collection in exchange for a prompt decision and commitment to handle the transfer quickly.  I hope you may be interested or perhaps know of someone who will. 

 

Knowing that a picture is worth a thousand words, I have attached a number of photos for your inspection.

 

To reach Ken here are several options:

 

Kenneth Karmiole Bookseller

karmbooks@aol.com

Tel:  310-451-4342