Rare Book Monthly

Articles - December - 2023 Issue

Philadelphia Rare Book Fair Returns December 7-9

The Philadelphia Book Fair (2022).

The Philadelphia Book Fair (2022).

The Philadelphia Rare Book Fair returns to the Trinity Memorial Church this year from December 7-9. There will be 25+ booksellers from not only the Philadelphia area but throughout the Northeast and New England, the not-too deep South, and the Midwest. They will be bringing not just books but various types of ephemera as well.

 

The schedule is as follows:

 

Thursday, December 7. 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. This is Preview Night. Tickets are required and can be purchased on the fair's website for $50. This will give you first access to the books. Wine, beer, and canapes will be served.

 

Friday, December 8. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Admission is free.

 

Saturday, December 9. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission is free.

 

The historic Trinity Memorial Church is located at 2212 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.

 

Exhibitors are:

 

Back Creek Books - Annapolis, MD.

Bauman Rare Books - Philadelphia, PA.

B & B Rare Books - New York, NY.

Jeannot Barr Prints and Drawings - Northport, NY.

Jeffrey Bergman Books - Flemington, NJ.

Between the Covers - Gloucester City, NJ.

Bluemango Books & Manuscripts - New Hope, PA.

Brenner's Collectable Books - Manasquan, NJ.

Capitol Hill Books - Washington, DC.

Captain Ahab's Rare Books - Stephenson, VA.

Christopher's Rare Books - New Milford CT.

Cleveland Book Company - Rocky River, OH.

First Place Books - Walkersville, MD.

Haec City / Also Books - Pittsburgh, PA.

Lizzyyoung Bookseller - Newport, RI.

MacManus Rare Books - Bryn Mawr, PA.

Bruce McKittrick Rare Books - Narberth, PA.

Mori Books - Franklin, NH.

Old Editions Bookshop - North Tonawanda, NY.

Kevin Sell, The Rare Book Sleuth - Minneapolis, MN.

Stan Gorski Books - Doylestown, PA.

Timeless Tales Rare Books - Acton, MA.

Vintage Books and Fine Art - Easton, MD.

Walnut Street Paper - Kutztown, PA.

Yesterday's Muse - Webster, NY.

Zoe Abrams Rare Books - Wynnewood, PA.

 

The Philadelphia Rare Book Fair is promoted by Fine Book Fairs.

 

The fair's website is found at at this link.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 40
    Ramasvami (Kavali Venkata). A Digest of the Different Castes of India, 83 charming hand-coloured lithographed plates, Madras, 1837. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 50
    Watson (John Forbes) & John William Kaye. The People of India: A Series of Photographic Illustrations...of the Races and Tribes of Hindustan, 8 vol., 480 mounted albumen prints, 1868-75. £4,000-6,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 53
    Afghanistan.- Elphinstone (Hon. Mountstuart). An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, first edition, hand-coloured aquatint plates, a fine copy, 1815. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 57
    [Album and Treatise on Hinduism], manuscript treatise on Hinduism in French, 31 watercolours of Hindu deities, Pondicherry, 1865. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 62 Allan (Capt. Alexander). Views in the Mysore Country, [1794]. £2,000-3,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 76
    Bird (James). Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Bauddha and Jaina Religions..., first edition, lithographed plates, Bombay, American Mission Press, 1847. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 100
    Ceylon.- Daniell (Samuel). A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals, and native inhabitants, of the Island of Ceylon: in twelve plates, 1808. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 123
    D'Oyly (Charles). Behar Amateur Lithographic Scrap Book, lithographed throughout with title and 55 plates mounted on 43 paper leaves, [Patna], [1828]. £3,000-5,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 139
    Gandhi (known as Mahatma Gandhi,) Fine Autograph Letter signed to Jawaharlal Nehru, Sevagram, Wardha, 1942, emphasising the importance of education in rural communities. £10,000-15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 140
    Gantz (John). Indian Microcosm, first edition, Madras, John Gantz & Son, 1827. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 146
    Grierson (Sir George Abraham). Linguistic Survey of India, 11 vol. in 20, folding maps, original cloth, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1903-28. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 195
    Madras.- Fort St. George Gazette (The), No.276-331, pp.493-936 and Index to all of 1834 at end, modern half calf, Madras, 2nd July - 31st December 1834. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 205
    Marshall (Sir John) and Alfred Foucher. The Monuments of Sanchi, 3 vol., first edition, 141 plates, most photogravure, [Calcutta], [1940]. £3,000-4,000
  • Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000
  • Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Balthus, Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights, New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. Complete Works, Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Winston Churchill. First edition of War Speeches, Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. Holy Cats First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.

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