The Charleston Library Society, the oldest library in the South, has been conducting a muti-year search and cataloguing project to record the multitude of volumes it contains in its vault. (The library has been moved a number of times over the years and collections have been integrated, thus necessitating the project.) Recently the search unearthed a rare, 270-year-old book on political parties, Henry St. John Lord Bollinbroke's Dissertation Upon Parties. Published in 1743, the book was one of 800 volumes donated to the College of Charleston by John Mackenzie, a planter and diplomat in the 1700s. His library was housed at the Charleston Library Society until the college could erect its own library, but after a terrible fire in 1778 all but 77 of Mackenzie's donated books were thought to be lost. This newfound 78th volume, which is embosse... [more 270-year-old Book and Other Valuable Documents Unearthed in the Charleston Library Society Vault]

After a friend showed Thom Adorney, a retired Colorado schoolteacher, an antique whaling journal written by an ancestor in the 1850s, Mr. Adorney had a great idea: why not give students at the local Ute Meadows Elementary School the unique opportunity to unlock history for themselves? For over a year now, that's exactly what students have been doing. The entire journal was photographed and students have been diligently transcribing its contents and recreating a map of the three year journey by entering navigational points onto Google Earth. The students expect to finish the transcription and map by the end of the month and, upon completion, their work will be published by the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts. (The museum notes that over 14,000 whaling journals were created but most were lost over time.) Mr. Adorney is ecstatic ... [more Elementary School Children Bring History To Life with an Antique Whaling Journal]

On May 1, Emory University's Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL) opened the archive of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to the public. The SCLC was founded in 1957 by seminal civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. in response to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Black leaders in the southeast were cognizant that the boycott was the beginning of a much larger movement and formed the SCLC as a means to coordinate further protest activities. At the first convention, held in Montgomery in August of 1957, the SCLC developed some basic resolutions: the use of nonviolent mass action as a strategic foundation of the movement, affiliation with local community organizations throughout the region, and a commitment to keep the SCLC open to all who wanted to participate, regardless of race, color or creed. ... [more Highly Anticipated Civil Rights Archive Opens to the Public]

This item was still reported missing as of June 11, 2019. The following item has been reported stolen: Title : THE BELL JAR Authors : Victoria Lucas Date of publication : 1963 Publisher : Heinemann Description : First edition in price clipped dust jacket. If you have any information on this item, please contact Christiaan Jonkers at info@jonkers.co.uk or 01491 576427. [more Stolen: The Bell Jar]

As I mentioned in my previous post, there was some extra buzz at this year's NY Antiquarian Book Fair due to a number of celebrity sightings. I know there were a number of important and influential scholars, authors, curators, etc. in attendance and I'm sorry that I didn't recognize more! I was, however, all over the pop-culture 'heavy hitters'. Below are my top five celeb sightings from the fair. 5. John Larroquette John Larroquette was the first familiar face I saw early on Friday (his face is etched in my mind from watching Night Court as a kid). Mr. Laroquette is a known collector and was also present at last year's fair. He spent quite a bit of time wandering the aisles but I'm unsure if he left with any purchases. He is currently starring in a Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man. 4. Lucy Liu Lucy Liu enjoyed the fair two d... [more Top 5 Celebrity Sightings at the NY Book Fair]

This past weekend's NY Antiquarian Book Fair was a great success, with high attendance, eager buyers, and, most importantly, fantastic inventory from over 200 exhibitors from around the world. This was our largest NY Fair to datethere were so many enthusiastic dealers that the show floor was slightly expanded to accomodate the absolute maximum number of exhibitorsand dealers did not disappoint with the marvelous offerings they brought along. The weather was spectacularI heard it again and again throughout the fair and there truly is nothing like springtime in NYCbut that didn't stop people from exploring the cavernous space of the Armory all weekend long. There were also multiple celebrity sightings (more on that later) which only infused the show floor with additional excitement. As an employee of the ABAA, I spend most of my time du... [more Springtime in NY + Antiquarian Book Fair = Success, Great Time Had By All]

For many readers of this blog, the answer is obvious, but based on the responses I occasionally receive when I tell people who I work for or about one of our fairs (blank stares and sometimes an "antiquari-what?), it's very clear to me that not everyone is 'in the know'. The most evident reasonto buy rare bookscan be easily deduced, but it overlooks the pure pleasure of attending, whether you leave with books in hand or not, and what I consider to be the true spirit of the show: a celebration of books, history, and intellect. I attended my first antiquarian book fair here in New York two years ago, before I had any idea what the ABAA was. Literature has always played a central role in my life, both academically and personally, so when my aunt, also a bibliophile and minor collector, invited my boyfriend and I to attend the show with her... [more Why Visit an Antiquarian Book Fair?]

There are only two days left before the NY Antiquarian Book Fair opens to the public! In addition to the more than 200 exhibitors coming in from all parts of the country and the world, collectors and book lovers will be coming to NYC for the fair. Refreshments will be offered on the show floor, but below are a few recommendations for a variety of nearby restaurants. Bon appetit! For a nice meal&.. Daniel 60 E 65th St New York, NY 10065 (212) 288-0033 Menus * Yelp Reviews JoJo 160 E 64th St New York, NY 10021 (212) 223-5656 Menus * Yelp Reviews Bistro Chat Noir 22 E 66th St New York, NY 10065 (212) 794-2428 Menus * Yelp Reviews Uva 1486 2nd Ave New York, NY 10021 (212) 472-4552 Menus * Yelp Reviews The Modern 9 W 53rd St New York, NY 10019 (212) 333-1220 Menus * Yelp Reviews David Burke Townhouse 133 E 61st St New York, NY 10065 (212) 813-... [more NY Book Fair: Where to Eat]

David Rayfield is a lettings agent who was performing a valuation at a home in Oxfordshire, UK when he noticed something peculiar: a very old book being used as a bedroom doorstop. The book was entitled "Corporation of Wallingford" and turned out to be a rare 1799 book of statutes, which detailed laws enacted by Parliament. The resident allowed Mr. Rayfield to take the book to the Wallingford Museum, where curator Judy Dewey and her colleagues are currently examining and researching it. “Councils couldn't consult the internet in those days so they all had books of statutes as reference books to show them all the laws that had been passed by Parliament," Mrs. Dewey explains. “It's fascinating because it provides such a detailed picture of 18th century life." I'm glad that the book 'rediscovered' and can provide a significant historical... [more *Cringe*: Rare Book Used as a Doorstop]

This item was still reported missing as of June 4, 2019. The following item was stolen during the San Francisco book fair (February 3-5, 2012): Set of four 78-rpm shellac records containing the soundtrack cues for the first film version of FRANKENSTEIN. Each record bears a black-and-white label with the Universal Pictures logo along the bottom edge. Each of the four records is in a separate paper sleeve, and the group is housed in a custom clamshell box. If you have any information regarding this item, please contact Royal Books at 410-366-7329 or mail@royalbooks.com. [more Stolen: Soundtrack Cues for Original Frankenstein]