Go West, Young Bibliophile!

By Susan Benne

That's what we will be doing, as will many ABAA members, ILAB dealers, and book lovers, because tomorrow is the start of the 45th California International Antiquarian Book Fair in Pasadena! I know I can't stop talking about it, as you've probably noticed from previous blog entries, Facebook postings, etc., but it's all with good reasonthe exhibitors'material looks amazing and fairs are a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues in the rare book world. Visitors to the fair should feel equally enthusiastic; obviously an ABAA fair is a book collector's dream come true, but they provide all book lovers with a wonderful opportunity to see incredible materials up close, to learn about the trade, collecting, and appraisals, and the chance to have their own materials appraised for free. Here's a full list of events at the fair. We hope to see you there! The 45th California International Antiquarian Book Fair Pasadena Convention Center (click for map) 300 East Green Street Pasadena, CA 91101 TICKETS & HOURS: Friday, February 10, 2012 3 pm to 8 pm Saturday, February 11, 2012 11 am to 7 pm Sunday, February 12, 2012 11 am to 5 pm A three-day admission ticket can be purchased at the door on Friday, February 10th for $25.00. Proceeds from Friday night tickets will benefit the Huntington Library. Tickets purchased on Saturday or Sunday are $15.00 and include return entry throughout the remainder of the Fair. $5.00 off for students with valid identification. [more Go West, Young Bibliophile!]



Two Items Stolen from Librairie Picard

By Susan Benne

The following items have been reported stolen: Title : Manière de bien bastir pour toutes sortes de personnes Augmentations de nouveaux bastimens faits en France. Authors : LE MUET Pierre. Date of publication : 1647 Publisher : François Langlois dict Chartres, Paris Description : Part I: -113 pages of text with a title, an allegorical engraved title to the address of PierreMariette, an Epistle and a foreword. 53 engraved figures in full page, with reported 2 and 1double page. Part Two: title followed by 31 engravings by Jean Marot, including 22 doublepage and folding 9. Second edition of the first part (the boards are the same as in the first edition of 1623) and the first edition of the second party submitting the plans and elevations of buildings constructed by ¸ The Mute: Tubeuf and Davaux hotel in Paris and the castles ofChampagne bridge, and Tanlay Chavigny in Touraine. Title : Le Premier tome de l'architecture de Philibert de L'Orme Authors : DELORME Philibert. Date of publication : 1568 Publisher : Frédéric Morel, Paris Description : Full sheepskin speckled modern taste in the eighteenth century. one layer for the title with the lien on the reverse, Preliminary pages (Letter and table lacks the white layer e6), 283pages (without layer 248), 205 figures engraved on wood with 74 full-page and 7 to double page. If you have any information on either of these items, please contact Librairie PICARD at livres@librairie-picard.com, or by phone at 01 43 26 96 73 [more Two Items Stolen from Librairie Picard]



Happy 200th Birthday, Charles Dickens!

By Susan Benne

Today marks the bicentennial of Charles Dickens's birth and there are some notable festivities occurring! I've previously posted about the wonderful exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum in NYC, which I highly recommend visiting if you're in the area. In case you need additional incentive, the Morgan is offering free admission today to anyone who mentions Dickens's birthday. The exhibit is only open until the 12th, so get there soon! Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, joined a host of dignitaries, actors, and Dickens's descendants today to hold a special memorial service held in London's Westminster Abbey. Prince Charles laid a wreath of white flowers on Dickens's grave in Poet's Corner, actor Ralph Fiennes read from Bleak House, and prayers were said for the poor as well as writers chronicling modern society. Of the ceremony, historian Judith Flanders, said it was an "enormously moving" service and that Dickens "would have hated it". Flanders explained that Dickens famously stated in his will that "he wanted no public ceremonies, no statues, no public acknowledgement. He wanted to be buried and die as a private man. He wanted his books to be his monument." There was also a simultaneous memorial event held in Portsmouth, where Dickens was born. The British Council, the UK's cultural relations body, has organized a number of Dickens-related global initiatives and events "to develop global activity that will include brand new film adaptations, art exhib... [more Happy 200th Birthday, Charles Dickens!]



In SoCal and need an appraisal?

By Susan Benne

We can help you out! In addition to having a number of ABAA members in Southern California who perform qualified appraisals, there will be two events at the 45th California International Antiquarian Book Fair in Pasadena next weekend that are perfect for anyone looking to learn more about appraisals and/or to have their own books appraised. On Sunday at 12:15pm, ABAA members Sam Hessel and Sheryl Jaeger will be presenting a seminar entitled, Do You Need An Appraisal? It is aimed at book collectors or others with books of value and will answer the following questions: What is a formal appraisal? Who should get one for his/her collection? How do I go about the process? Following the seminar is Discovery Day, which is a feature of every ABAA fair and offers attendees the opportunity to receive free mini-appraisals on up to three books. This is the perfect opportunity to have a qualified professional take a look at your books! Click here to read about other seminars and events at the fair! 45th California International Antiquarian Book Fair [more In SoCal and need an appraisal?]



Rare Book Room to be established at the Center for Jewish History

By Susan Benne

The Center for Jewish History in New York, which houses the collections of the American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announced earlier this month that it will establish a rare books room with the $2.5M gift from the David Berg Foundation. The new rare books room will "provide the center's partners with a state-of-the-art facility in which to showcase some of their most important printed materials, including seminal first editions and a cross-section of rabbinical literature, Jewish philosophy and intellectual history that dates back hundreds of years." It will be open to the public, and the grand opening is slated for the fall. N.Y. center gets $2.5 million gift for new rare books room [more Rare Book Room to be established at the Center for Jewish History]



Michael Dirda: "The Thrill of the Hunt: The Serendipitous Pleasures of Book Collecting"

By Susan Benne

Attendees to the 2011 Awards Ceremony for the National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest were lucky enough to hear Michael Dirda give a talk entitled "The Thrill of the Hunt: The Serendipitous Pleasures of Book Collecting". You may now view the lecture below, on the Library of Congress's website, or on the ABAA's website . Michael Dirda is senior editor for "The Washington Post Book World", and a noted bibliophile. Michael's talk is preceded by the NCBCC awards presentation; his lecture begins at 29:30. [more Michael Dirda: "The Thrill of the Hunt: The Serendipitous Pleasures of Book Collecting"]



Stolen: Foxes Book of Martyrs

By Susan Benne

This item was still reported missing as of June 10, 2019. The following item has been reported stolen: Title : Foxes Book of Martyrs Authors : Foxes Description : Description from a recent NADFAS inventory as follows: "Foxes Book of Martyrs. Very poor condition. Faded brown leather cover. Gothic printing with black & white woodcut illustrations throughout. Entries date from 1555 to 1558, but the first ten pages & the last unknown number of pages are either missing or very badly damaged." If you have any information on this item, please contact Patrick McCanlis at patmac778@hotmail.com or +44 (0)20 7439 3118 [more Stolen: Foxes Book of Martyrs]