Rare Book Monthly
Articles - February - 2009 Issue
Bay Area Book Collector Events
California's largest antiquarian book fair
By Bruce McKinney
The Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America is hosting its annual west coast book fair in San Francisco February 13 to 15 at Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 Eighth Street, south of Market near the San Francisco Design Center. The ABAA, as it is known, also hosts events in Boston and New York. Exhibitors include members of its international counterpart, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers. This year more than 230 booksellers are exhibiting. Such fairs are a time-honored tradition.
On Saturday the fair is sponsoring talks by Nicolas Barker on the impact of the computer of books, libraries and book-collecting, Peter Hiller on Jo Mora's creative writing, and Gary and K. D. Kurtz on "California Calls You - The Art of Promoting the Golden State, 1870-1940."
On Sunday, as in past years, there will be "Discovery Day," the opportunity to have rare book appraisers offer opinions on material you bring for evaluation. There will also be talks on "Book Collecting 101" and "What's This Book Worth?"
Such book fairs provide opportunities for dealers and collectors, who are otherwise distant, to meet locally. Collectors who attend are able to meet specialist dealers and to see important materials first hand.
While the show is three days - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - desirable material often sells on the first day.
Substantial parking is available next door. Buses run nearby.
