The Boston Shadow Fair Lives!: October 28th

Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts and Nashua, New Hampshire. MW Book Fairs, a collaboration between Wiggins Fine Books ABAA, SNEAB and Richard Mori Books, is pleased to announce that over 40 outstanding antiquarian book, ephemera and photo dealers have signed on to the inaugural Books in Boston @ Hilton Back Bay, a new antiquarian book & ephemera fair to be held on Saturday October 28, 2023 from 8 am to 4 pm at the Boston Hilton Back Bay’s Belvidere Ballroom located at 40 Dalton Street in Boston, Massachusetts.

This show is within four minutes walking distance from the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair to be held at the Hynes Convention Center from October 27-29, 2023.

Dealers exhibiting will come from ten states, Canada and the UK. In the distinctive book category, Bauman Rare Books will have a variety of outstanding items from their stock, while Americana will be well represented with Peter Luke, James A. Arsenault, Aaron Benneian Historical Americana, William Hutchison and several others bringing a variety of rare books, maps, pamphlets and broadsides. Counted among the bright young stars entering the rare book trade, Timeless Tales Rare Books will be presenting an array of early books, and literary high spots including noted works by Newton and Audubon.

Dealers specializing in children’s books include Enchanted Books who are bringing a wide variety of children’s classics including several Madeline first editions by Bemelmanns as well a lovely handmade hardbound National Needle Company 1888 calendar in watercolor, children’s serials and related ephemera. Along with his usual eclectic variety of children’s books, Boy Scout material and White Mountains, Richard Mori is bringing a first edition of the first issue copy of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in a contemporary binding with the original wraps bound in. Photo dealers include Rare Photo Gallery and House of Mirth who will be bringing a wide variety of collectible photos, albums and the like.

Dealers in nautical material include Ten Pound Island Book Company and Connecticut River Books, the latter specializing in Rockwell Kentiana. Coming from the UK, Small Circus Rare Books will be showcasing fine press books as will Wiggins Fine Books, who will bring fine examples from the Cheloniidae and Pennyroyal presses, along with a copy of the first bible translated by a woman, the Julia E. Smith bible published by the American Publishing Company in 1876. The Complete Traveller of Westport, CT will be offering an extensive collection of travel books including Baedeker’s Travel Guides, and related material. Also on the floor will be Faenwyl Bindery offering book conservation, paper repair and hand bookbinding as well as custom boxes and other enclosures.

Continuing a 25-year tradition, this year’s "shadow show" Books in Boston @ Hilton Back Bay will open at 8 am on Saturday, four hours prior to the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair that will open nearby at noon. For their 120 dealers, 5,000 visitors are expected.

The principals of MW Book Fairs are Duane A. Stevens of Wiggins Fine Books ABAA, ILAB, SNEAB of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts and Richard Mori of Richard Mori Books of Nashua, New Hampshire. Duane was the co-developer of the Northampton Book and Book Arts Fair held for several years at Smith College and the Center for the Arts in Northampton, Massachusetts. Richard developed and promoted the recent antiquarian book and ephemera fair held at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. As well he promoted the Northern New England Bookfair in Concord, NH.

Duane and Richard hope to make Boston Rare Book Week their most successful event yet! To achieve this we ask you to join us. Boots on the ground converts into sales and support.

Let’s keep it going. Thank you all for your encouragement.