Rare Book Monthly « May

Bookselling: The Seismic Shift

The New York Antiquarian Book Fair is come and gone, the confetti now swept up and the wine glasses washed and back on the shelf. This year the glass half full guys won out and the glass half empty crowd sent packing. Not everyone did well but many did and most saw enough success to feel the ABAA-Sanford Smith show partnership was yielding substantial returns. This year the traffic was strong and the audience ebullient. According to Catherine Zubkow who managed the fair, “attendance was north of 5,000.” More importantly exhibitors were happy and suggesting they’ll be back in 2014. Lor...

A Handwritten Letter Sells for a Record $6 Million-Plus

On April 10, the highest price ever paid for a letter at auction was achieved at Christie's in New York. If there was any doubt about the growing interest in more ephemeral sorts of works on paper,...

Strictly Morocco!: Portrait of a reasonable collector

On life's vast ocean diversely we sail, Reason the card, but passion is the gale. Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man Old books collectors are not so many, but they do exist. Mr. Wolfi is one of ...

Guernsey's: John James Audubon . . . handsome works of nature

In the world of books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera the line between list prices and auction realizations is being re-defined in the auction rooms with startling and regular rapidity. The balanc...

56th Annual London Book Fair (and Six More!) Set for June

The London International Antiquarian Book Fair is set to make its annual appearance Thursday-Saturday, June 13-15 this year. For the 56th year, booksellers and book collectors will be gathering in ...

Is the Field Museum Considering a $50 Million Book Sale?

In an article published last month, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Field Museum was considering selling some of its artifacts. Specifically considered was the museum's rare book collection. ...

Sotheby's in Paris: Books and Manuscripts with the emphasis on Manuscripts

If you are a serious collector of French manuscripts, Sotheby's sale of Books and Manuscripts on May 29th will likely contain some eye-catching items. And while some items come with eye-popping pri...

Kestenbaum & Company to Auction Fine Judaica on May 2nd including Holy Land and Travel – The Collection of Nathan Lewin, Esq.

The Kestenbaum Company of New York is to sell at auction Fine Judaica: Hebrew Books, Manuscripts and Autograph Letters from the Collection of Nathan Lewis, Esq. on May 2nd. Jackie Insel, speakin...