From February 10–12, 2023, thousands of book lovers, rare-book dealers, and scholars will converge at the Pasadena Convention Center for the 55th California International Antiquarian Book Fair. Recognized as one of the world's largest and most pre-eminent exhibitions of antiquarian books, the California Book Fair gives visitors a chance to see, learn about and purchase the finest in rare and valuable books, manuscripts, modern first editions, children's books, ephemera, maps, autographs and more. The California Book Fair's 2023 edition promises an eclectic mix of special collection exhibits highlighting a noteworthy range of topics, including: The Game's Afoot: Collecting Sherlock Holmes – featuring materials from Occidental College's special collection of perennial favorite Sherlock Holmes; Helen Brown: Bibliophile and Champion of We... [more 2023 California Book Fair]

We asked the winners of the 2022 National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest about their collections, and learned about the importance of physical media during the Covid pandemic! First Prize Daria Rose Evdokimova (Harvard University): "Ardis Publishers and the Immigrant Identity." ABAA: Could you give us a brief description of your collection? DRE: My collection focuses on the publishing house Ardis Publishers, the first (and only) US-based publishing house which focused on Russian and Soviet literature. More specifically the majority of my collection consists of Ardis editions of works by Vladimir Nabokov and Joseph Brodsky. Both of these authors were born in Saint Petersburg and eventually immigrated to the US for political reasons. As someone who was exiled from Russia for political reasons as well, I feel a very personal connection t... [more Meet the 2022 NCBCC Winners]

After sixty-two years in the field of historical letters and manuscripts, Kenneth W. Rendell still feels just as excited as he was when, many years ago, a friend showed him a handwritten letter of George Washington. He couldn't believe it then and still feels "overwhelmed and honored" to collect what he regards as "pieces of human history." This past year, Rendell established two endowed annual lecture series, the first at the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia, focusing on the excitement of collecting original manuscripts and rare books, and the second at The Grolier Club in New York City, on the importance of handwriting in understanding history. The Grolier Club asked Rendell to deliver the inaugural lecture in this series in October 2022, an illustrated talk about pieces in his personal collection and why he considers them... [more Kenneth Rendell Endows Two Lecture Series]

The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair (BIABF) is making its much-anticipated return to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston's Back Bay from November 11-13, 2022. The 44th Boston Book Fair is the annual fall gathering for book lovers and collectors, featuring the top selection of items available on the international literary market, sanctioned by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). An alluring treasure trove awaits seasoned collectors and first-time attendees. More than 100 exhibitors, from 9 different countries–Canada, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, the UK, and the US–will showcase the finest in rare and valuable books, photography, illuminated manuscripts, autographs, maps, historic documents, maps, fine bindings, ... [more Boston Book Fair 2022]

In early 2022, the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America's Diversity Initiative Committee announced a new paid summer internship program, co-sponsored by AbeBooks, intended to provide an alternative route to success in the antiquarian-book business, as part of its larger mission to promoted diversity, equality and inclusion in the rare-book business. Military veteran Alba Melgar-C'De Baca, a graduate student at the University of North Texas, was selected for the 10-week program, and interned at ABAA-member Type Punch Matrix over the summer of 2022. Melgar-C'De Baca spoke with Richard Davis at the Behind the Bookshelves podcast about her internship, and you can listen to the interview here... When asked what she'd tell other students considering a similar internship in the future, Melgar-C'De Baca said: “Don't hesitate to apply... [more ABAA Diversity Internship]

One phrase you might hear at a rare-book fair is mapbacks. No, that's not some sort of tattoo favored by rare map dealers; a "mapback" is the informal name for a series of pulp paperback books published by Dell between 1943 and 1950. Initially, the back cover of these books featured bland art, but starting with the fifth book in the series, Four Frightened Women by George Harmon Coxe, Dell added an illustration showing the locale where the book's events took place. (Note: the previous book in the series, The American Gun Mystery by Ellery Queen, was later reprinted with a map on the back cover, but it was the fifth book in the series that was the first to feature a map.) The “maps” were not all conventional maps by any means, with cut-away illustrations of buildings being a frequent option the various artists used when the action was ... [more Collecting Dell Mapbacks]

Get ready for the RBMS Booksellers' Showcase: a virtual book fair in conjunction with RBMS' annual conference. This virtual fair will take place at abaa.org/vbf from Tuesday, June 21 to Friday, June 24, 2022. Explore the finest rare books, manuscripts & ephemera. Shop the virtual booths of ABAA members and discover their latest acquisitions and rare finds. Learn more: www.abaa.org/vbf... The doors will be open continuously from 12pm EDT on Tuesday, June 21 until 8pm EDT on Friday, June 24, 2022. Never visited an ABAA virtual book fair before? Read "How to Shop a Virtual Book Fair"... [more Don’t Miss the RBMS Booksellers’ Showcase!]

The ABAA Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition will take place May 4 and 5, 2022 at abaa.org/vbf... The ABAA Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition is the virtual component of the ABAA New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, and as such will feature material from the foremost booksellers from around the world. As a virtual fair, collectors and librarians around the globe can enjoy the convenience of shopping the booths of international sellers and discovering their latest acquisitions and rare finds. As at the ABAA's in-person book fairs, where novice and younger collectors have been excited by unique offerings at accessible price points, dealers at the ABAA Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition will offer “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less. Featuring the finest rare books, manuscripts, autographs, periodicals, illustration, and ... [more ABAA Virtual Book Fair: New York Edition]

The ABAA is now accepting entries for the 2022 National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest, where more than $6,000 in prizes will be awarded to student collectors. The National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest is open to all prizewinners of college book-collecting contests, whether or not first prize, as well as to interested students whose institutions do not offer formal contests or whose contests may have been canceled this year. (More information can be found here.) All entries should be submitted here... All entries for the 2022 competition must be submitted by June 15, 2022. For more information on the contest, please visit contest.abaa.org... The National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest is jointly administered by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies (FABS... [more 2022 National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest]

The New York International Antiquarian Book Fair takes place at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City, April 21-24, 2022. Here are some highlights from among the rare books and related ephemera ABAA members are bringing to the fair! The Roger Gozdecki Collection of E.E.Cummings Offered en bloc by johnson rare books & archives on behalf of the family of Roger Gozdecki. Volk, Leonard (1828-1895; sculptor) Bronze Life Mask and Hands produced by the “Lost Wax” method. Chicago: Jules Berchem, American Art Bronze Factory, c1886. Signed by Volk below the chin of the mask and on the cuff of each hand. THE YEAR 1886. A beardless Lincoln had suddenly become popular after the 1886 publication of Lincoln's secretary's 10-volume biography that used Chicago's Alexander Hesler's beardless photograph for their frontispiece. Hesler then began produc... [more New York Book Fair Featured Items]