Last December, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division at The Library of Congress held an excellent symposium on authenticity. “Authenticity,” was a day-long program that looked at one of the most difficult subjects facing libraries, private collectors, and booksellers today -- judging the genuineness of printed materials. The symposium focused on the research which curators, scholars, and conservators have been conducting regarding all elements of printing and book production. The speakers included specialists who are at the cutting edge of research on printing techniques, paper manufacture, binding construction, and typography, as well as scholars, conservators, scientists, and booksellers who are dedicated to establishing methods for determining authenticity in the field of rare books, prints, and manuscripts. The Library of... [more Library of Congress Releases Webcast of Symposium on Authenticity]

This item is still missing as of 5/28/2019. The following item has been reported missing: RODIN, AUGUSTE. Signed postcard photograph with inscription, n.p., n.d. He writes, "To Madame ...." and signs, "Aug. Rodin." He poses seated, in profile, next to one of his sculptures. Images of Rodin with his sculptures are particularly appealing. Very Good. If you have any information on this item, please contact Claudia Strauss-Schulson at 973-379-3800. [more Missing: Postcard with Inscription from Rodin]

Update: these items were recovered in 2016. (5/31/2019) Bay Leaf Books in downtown Newaygo, Michigan, was robbed last Thursday evening. Below is a list of books that were taken, a couple of which were one-of-a-kind that will be difficult to sell. If you have any information on any of these items, please contact Bay Leaf Books at (231) 652-BOOK (2665) or the Newaygo Police department. The police complaint number is 14-505. Stanhope, Leicester. Greece, In 1823 and 1824; Being a Series of Letters, and Other Documents, on the Greek Revolution, Written During a Visit to that Country. A New Edition, Containing Numerous Supplementary Papers, Illustrative of the State of Greece in 1825. By the Honourable Colonel Leicester Stanhope. Illustrated with Several Curious Fac-similies. To which are Added, Reminiscences of Lord Byron (London, 1825). … t... [more Robbery from Bay Leaf Books (Newaygo, MI)]

Last week the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin announced its acquisition of writer Ian McEwan's archive. The archive is comprised of a broad range of materials, from childhood items to his earliest stories to drafts of all McEwan's published works to correspondence with other notable literary figures. In addition to the spectrum of content represented in the archive, there is also a range of mediums-- manuscripts, photographs, audio and video recordings, and digital material like emails and typed manuscripts of novels. Stephen Enniss, Director of the Ransom Center, said that the "acquisition represents a rare opportunity to share the work of a living, internationally acclaimed author whose works are of strong interest to readers everywhere." When writing, McEwan composed parts of his novels in longhand, usually in ... [more Ian McEwan Archive Acquired by Harry Ransom Center]

The Midwest Chapter of the ABAA has just announced a new annual scholarship to the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar! Details for 2014 applicants are below. The Florence Shay/Midwest Chapter CABS Scholarship In memory of long-time member Florence Shay (1922-2012), the Midwest Chapter of the ABAA offers a $1500 educational scholarship to attend the 2014 Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar. It covers tuition, room and board for one attendee at this year's Seminar. This scholarship is offered to booksellers who are from the Midwest Chapter region, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Applicants should provide the following: • A completed copy of the application form. • A personal statement or essay (no longer than two pages) i... [more Midwest ABAA Chapter Offers Scholarship to CABS]

A contest held by the University of Chicago's Special Collections Research Center has cracked the code of handwritten marginalia in a 1504 Venetian edition of Homer's Odyssey. Collector M.C. Lang donated his collection of Homer's works to the University of Chicago Library in 2007 so that it could be used by students and researchers. The 1504 edition of the Odyssey was included in the donation and the book contained handwritten annotations in an cryptic script that the library was unable to identify. Lang and the library decided to hold a contest and invited linguists, scholars, and students to decipher the writing. Lang agreed to furnish a prize of $1,000 to the first person to identify the script, provide evidence for his or her conclusion, and to translate selected portions of the marginalia. Daniele Metilli, an Italian computer enginee... [more Contest Identifies Enigmatic Annotations in 1504 Edition of Homer’s ‘Odyssey’]

Registration for the 2014 Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar is in full swing! In its 36th year, CABS "provides an opportunity for leading specialists tot share their expertise and experience with booksellers, librarians, and collectors in a comprehensive survey of the rare book market, both antiquarian and modern." I've attended myself and can attest that it is a wonderful program, lovingly referred to in the trade as "bookseller boot-camp". This year the seminar runs from August 3-8th. The keynote speaker is Michael Zinman and the speciality dealer is ABAA member Brian Cassidy (Brian Cassidy, Bookseller). The rest of the faculty this year includes ABAA members Lorne Bair, Nina Musinsky, and Rob Rulon-Miller, Jr., Terry Belanger, Sally Burdon, Daniel De Simone, Dan Gregory, and Steven Escar Smith. It's been said time and time again: CABS ... [more 2014 Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar]

The literary world has been buzzing all week about ABAA members George Koppelman and Dan Wechsler's possession of a dictionary, John Baret's Alvearie, they believe was owned and annotated by William Shakespeare. There has been considerable press on Shakespeare's Beehive, and Dan has had the opportunity to chat about their scholarship with a number of outlets. Dan Wechsler sat down with Amy Eddings of WNYC yesterday& ​ …and chatted with fellow ABAA member Dan Dwyer this afternoon. ABAA member Garrett Scott is keeping an updated list of news and information on this thrilling news on his blog, Bibliophagist. [more More Buzz on Shakespeare’s Beehive]

Here's some exciting bibliographic news to start the day! The Bibliographic Society of America has awarded member Joseph J. Felcone (Joseph J. Felcone Inc.) the 2014 St. Louis Mercantile Library Prize for outstanding scholarship in the bibliography of American history and literature for his book Printing in New Jersey 1754-1800: A Descriptive Bibliography (American Antiquarian Society, 2012). The prize, established in 2008 and awarded every three years, includes a cash prize and a year's membership in the BSA. From the BSA press release: Printing in New Jersey 1754-1800: A Descriptive Bibliography is a detailed catalogue of 1,265 books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, and broadsides – all of the known products of every eighteenth-century New Jersey press. About of quarter of the imprints described are recorded here for the first tim... [more Joseph J. Felcone Awarded 2014 St. Louis Mercantile Library Prize]

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books & Manuscripts is seeking a detail-oriented individual with strong writing, organizational, and personal skills as well as sophisticated understanding of computer technology for full-time employment, working with a small staff. The person's chief responsibility would be to assist with writing catalogue descriptions of rare books and manuscripts (see pirages.com for examples); other tasks might include administrative office work (processing acquisitions, orders, and payments as well as preparing invoices and tracking inventory), responding to customer inquiries, handling general correspondence, assisting with the company's social media marketing, representing the business at book fairs, and other duties as assigned. We do not have a store front; client visits are by appointment. To apply, please email cover let... [more Philip J. Pirages Fine Books & Manuscripts Seeks Antiquarian Bookseller]