Rare Book Monthly

Articles - March - 2023 Issue

The ABAA Pasadena Book Fair: the field is recovering

3c58afe7-b219-4fdb-bd63-101d93387251

The ABAA at the City of Roses

It's been three years since the California International Antiquarian Book Fair returned last month to Pasadena to some trepidation considering how long it has been. The result was a very good event as collectors have begun to emerge from their Covid-induced hibernation. The fair has survived Covid and that is a very good thing because the west coast ABAA fair has long been a marquee event. The field wants and needs it. We can now look forward to many more.

 

This said, this year the number of exhibitors was down. And it’s being attributed to Covid, age and taxes.  Older dealers are increasingly wary to travel. As well, the State of California has been aggressively collecting taxes and fees from exhibiting dealers who file as C corps. Those who have been caught up with this requirement have found it takes time and costs money. By one estimate this issue deterred 20 exhibitors this year.

 

Whatever the causes, the fair was a bit smaller than recent events. This year 120 exhibitors

participated, a bit fewer than experienced hands hoped. Many dealers have reported good sales and of course a few came home disappointed.  Such fairs always have had an element of kismet.

 

Covid, notwithstanding, the impulse to organize around face to face book fairs continues to be

strong among dealers, institutions and collectors. What’s different now is that, while the field

was responding to the Covid crisis, the community has become more used to relying on the Internet to efficiently connect to the dominant listing, research, auction and show sites. What was once seemed unlikely, collectors and collecting institutions have become increasingly confirmed and secure in managing their collecting experience from their phones and consoles. Once the interested get used to this approach, our experience suggests, there is no going back.

 

While many of the sectors and categories of the rare paper world have been nestling into the emerging Internet based one-world concept, book fairs, by comparison, are a bit behind to have their upcoming material merged into the worldwide dataflow. That’s a lot to ask, but virtually all other data streams are merging. The electronic book fairs are joining the flow but the traditional fairs not so far.

 

By tradition, these events hold pre-fair opportunities for exhibitors to have the first crack to buy.  It’s an approach that’s anathema to the emerging doctrine of openness. Can you imagine an auction that openly prefers certain bidders?

 

The ABAA membership and management have learned to deal with complex issues.  They recently achieved success in Pasadena and no doubt the New York fair is going to be a gem.  They now accept that ABAA members run their own auctions in some circumstances and I believe they are stronger for it.

 

Their fairs will need their community’s wisdom to maintain their exalted status in the rare book business worldwide.  The world has been changing.

 

Returning to the recent Pasadena experience, as the last purchased books were being shipped, the cognoscenti are casting glances toward New York to the April bacchanal, and thinking about the 56th California International Antiquarian Book Fair at Pier 27 in San Francisco 9-11 February 2024.  There’s a sense of strong optimism about the ABAA’s February 2024 San Francisco event will be bigger and better.  Great dealers, good food, a beautiful and safe area, plus good hotels will make this fair a very positive experience.


Posted On: 2023-03-01 18:18
User Name: keeline

When speaking with the security people on Sunday of the Pasadena fair, they mentioned that 3,000 people entered on Saturday. I don't know how this compares with prior years and since I wasn't at the fair on that day, it would be difficult to make an anecdotal comparison based on how crowded it felt.

As far as the question "Can you imagine an auction that openly prefers certain bidders?", I suppose anyone who has waited in line for hours at an estate sale only to see a couple cars drive up minutes before the opening and have reserved places in the front of the line would have a sense of this.

For most sellers at fairs, it is difficult enough to select and pack items to offer for sale, let alone providing photos and descriptions for online browsing. It is one thing when a virtual fair is the only option. It is quite another to do both. It is like the problems of creating "hybrid" events to replace in-person-only or Zoom-only events. Having a camera and display and sufficient upstream bandwidth is more complex just to provide the remote access to a live event.

I found one book to buy at the fair and that doesn't always work out for me since the specific items I collect at prices I care to pay are not always found at the Pasadena ABAA shows. So I did my tiny part towards the overall income of the event and for the seller.

James


Rare Book Monthly

  • <b><center>Swann Auction Galleries<br>Printed & Manuscript African Americana:<br>March 30, 2023</b>
    <b>Swann March 30:</b> Victor H. Green, <i>The Negro Motorist Green Book,</i> New York, 1949. $10,000 to $15,000.
    <b>Swann March 30:</b> Papers of pianist-composer Lawrence Brown relating to Paul Robeson & more, various places, 1925-54. $5,000 to $7,500.
    <b>Swann March 30:</b> Freedom Summer archive of civil rights activist Karen Haberman Trusty, Atlanta & elsewhere, 1963-64. $5,000 to $7,500.
    <b>Swann March 30:</b> E. Simms Campbell, <i>A Night-Club Map of Harlem,</i> New York, 1933. $8,000 to $12,000.
    <b>Swann March 30:</b> Archive of letters from the sculptor Richmond Barthé to a close Jamaican friend, various places, 1966-85. $25,000 to $35,000.
  • <b><center>Koller Auctions<br>Books & Autographs<br>29 March 2023</b>
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> DADA - <i>Cabaret Voltaire.</i> A collection of artistic and literary contributions. Edited by Hugo Ball. CHF 5,000 to 8,000.
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> EXPRESSIONISM - <i>Der Sturm.</i> Weekly magazine for culture and the arts. Almost complete suite from the years 1910 to 1932. CHF 20,000 to 30,000.
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> LISBON EARTHQUAKE - <i>Augsburg collection of copper engravings of Lisbon. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> Hamilton, William. <i>Campi Phlegraei. Observations on the Volcanos of the Two Sicilies as they have been communicated to the Royal Society of London.</i> Naples, 1776-1779. CHF 50,000 to 70,000.
    <b><center>Koller Auctions<br>Books & Autographs<br>29 March 2023</b>
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> Leonardi, Domenico Felice. <i>Le Delizie della villa di Castellazzo descritte in verso dall'abbate Domenico Felice Leonardi lucchese fra gli Arcadi Ildosio Foloetico.</i> Milan, 1743. CHF 12,000 to 18,000.
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> Zwingli, Huldrych. <i>Von erkiesen und freyhait der speisen. Von ergernusz und Verbößerung. Ob man gewalt hab die speyß zu etlichen zeyten verbieten [...]</i>. CHF 2,500 to 4,000.
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> HENDRIK VAN VULLENHOE, UMKREIS. Benedictional and other texts for Johannes von Venningen, Bishop of Basel. Latin manuscript on parchment. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
    <b>Koller, Mar. 29:</b> Gujer, Hans Rudolf. Master typist's book by Hans Rudolf Gujer from Wermetschweil (Wermatswil). German manuscript on paper. CHF 3,000 to 5,000.
  • <b><center>Stargardt Autographenhandlung<br>Autographs: Literature, Music, Art, Science, History, Theatre & Film<br>March 28, 2023</b>
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Autograph album leaf signed, 1826. €9,000 to €12,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Franz Kafka: Autograph letter unsigned, 1924. €15,000 to €20,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Torquato Tasso: Autograph poem signed, no date. €12,000 to €16,000.
    <b><center>Stargardt Autographenhandlung<br>Autographs: Literature, Music, Art, Science, History, Theatre & Film<br>March 28, 2023</b>
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Charles Darwin: Autograph letter signed, 1866. €4,500 to €6,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Albert Einstein: Autograph letter signed, 1933. €6,000 to €8,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Heinrich Hertz: Autograph manuscript signed, 1889. €18,000 to €24,000.
    <b><center>Stargardt Autographenhandlung<br>Autographs: Literature, Music, Art, Science, History, Theatre & Film<br>March 28, 2023</b>
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Giambattista Bodoni: Autograph letter signed, 1787. €900 to €1,200.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Francisco de Goya: Autograph letter signed, 1789. €18,750 to €25,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Martin Luther: Notes from his desk, no date. €30,000 to €40,000.
    <b><center>Stargardt Autographenhandlung<br>Autographs: Literature, Music, Art, Science, History, Theatre & Film<br>March 28, 2023</b>
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Ludwig van Beethoven: Autograph letter signed, 1816. €22,500 to €30,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Gustav Mahler: Foto portrait signed and annotated, 1907(?). €7,500 to €10,000.
    <b>Stargardt Autographenhandlung, Mar. 28:</b> Bed?ich Smetana: Autograph letter signed, 1883. €4,500 to €6,000.
  • <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper<br>30th March 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Roman binding.- Pindar. <i>Olympia, Pythia, Nemea, Isthmia,</i> translated by Johannes Lonicer, contemporary Roman binding by Niccolo Franzese, Basel, 1535. £40,000 to £60,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Raverat (Gwen). Comprehensive album of 530 wood engravings, circa 1909-1950. £40,000 to £60,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Hemingway (Ernest). <i>Fiesta,</i> first English edition, first impression dust-jacket, 1927. £15,000 to £20,000.
    <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper<br>30th March 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Fleming (Ian). <i>Casino Royale,</i> first edition, first impression, 1953. £12,000 to £18,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Dickens (Charles). <i>Great Expectations,</i> 3 vol., first edition, first impression, Chapman and Hall, 1861. £10,000 to £15,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Campbell (Colen) & others. <i>Vitruvius Britannicus, or The British Architect...,</i> 5 vol., vol.1-3 later editions, vol.4 & 5 first editions, [?1731]-31-67-71. £10,000 to £15,000.
    <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper<br>30th March 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Geography.- Mela (Pomponius). <i>Cosmographia, sive De situ orbis,</i> Venice, Franciscus Renner de Heilbronn, 1478. £8,000 to £12,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> America.- [?Espinosa y Tello (José)]. <i>Relacion del Viage hecho por las Goletas Sutil y Mexicana en el Año de 1792,</i> 2 vol. including Atlas, first edition, Madrid, 1802. £8,000 to £12,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Australasia.- Péron (Francois) and Louis-Claude de Saulces de Freycinet. <i>Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes,</i> 5 vol. including Atlas, second edition, Paris, 1824. £8,000 to £12,000.
    <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper<br>30th March 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Botany.- Curtis (William). <i>The Botanical Magazine; or, Flower-Garden Displayed,</i> 83 vol. in 62, 1794-1956. £8,000 to £12,000.
    <b>Forum, Mar. 30:</b> Darwin (Charles).- Lecky (W.E.H.) <i>The Rise and Influence of Rationalism in Europe,</i> 2 vol., Darwin's copy with inscription "Charles Darwin 1865", pencil marginalia and pencil notes, 1865. £7,000 to £10,000.

Article Search

Archived Articles

Ask Questions