UPDATED: John Gilkey Active Again

By Susan Benne

UPDATE: John Gilkey was apprehended yesterday, July 14th.  He is returning to San Francisco in police custody.  Please be aware that convicted fraudster and thief John Gilkey is operating once again, likely out of northern California.  A comic book dealer in New York state is his latest victim.  Besides defrauding book dealers, Gilkey has also left his dubious mark in the print, stamp, and comics trades.  He was arrested late last year in San Francisco following a parole violation, but was released after he (or someone) posted $75,000.00 bail.  He then disappeared, but is active once again. He is a serious criminal who continually looks for new opportunities and deceptions.  An investigation by the SFPD is ongoing; there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Please do your friends the favor of re-posting this note to any and all lists of allied trades and organizations.  If you have any pertinent information about John Gilkey's recent dealings, please email hq@abaa.org.  Thank you very much. [more UPDATED: John Gilkey Active Again]



UPDATED: Stolen Titles from University of Hawaii-Manoa Library

By Susan Benne

UPDATE: These books have been recovered; however, the thief is still at large. Over 190 titles have gone missing from the University of Hawaii-Manoa Library, the majority of which were travel related or art books.  There are indications that these titles are now being offered for sale. Anyone offered a book that has not obviously been withdrawn from UH should presume it to be stolen.  There are three different library stamps; these may appear as inkstamps, perforations, or embossed stamps.  The stamps are: 1. The University of Hawaii Library 2. Gregg M. Sinclair Library (or collection) 3. East-West Center Library If you have been offered or have any information pertaining to these books, please contact ABAA Security Chair John Waite immediately at the following address: jwrb@comcast.net [more UPDATED: Stolen Titles from University of Hawaii-Manoa Library]



Happy Bloomsday!

By Susan Benne

Today is Bloomsday, the day of celebration for James Joyce's tome, Ulysses. (The novel follows protagonist Leopold Bloom through Dublin over the course of one day, June 16, 1904.) Below I have included some links to Bloomsday articles, posts and activities to commemorate Joyce's iconic work. Most of them are brief and include additional links, so they are definitely worth a glance. At the very least, I recommend listening to a rare recording of James Joyce reading from Ulysses or Irish actress Marcella Riordan reading of the last 50 lines of the book, often referred to as Molly's soliloquy, and taking a glance at Ulysses Unseen, an electronic comic book version of the novel. Happy Bloomsday! It's Bloomsday! Listen to Molly's Soliloquy! 8 ways to celebrate James Joyce and Ulysses Bloomsday: How to Celebrate James Joyce's Ulysses Tweeting Ulysses: Fans Put A Twist On Bloomsday What Would Joyce Do?: Ulysses RevisitedIn Comic Form Computer helps solve Bloom's riddle 'Ulysses' Leopold Bloom's Journey Through Dublin Photo Gallery [more Happy Bloomsday!]



Launch of 'Rare Book Feast'

By Susan Benne

Designer Nate Burgos has launched an ongoing video project called Rare Book Feast. In his description of the project, Nate writes: "This series is about the timeless character of books. Their message and what they look like are what is celebrated here. As our culture becomes digital in a lot of ways, it is all the more important (not to mention inviting) to revisit and learn from the early design challenges, creative solutions and general lessons that the “old” print world keeps relevant." The focus of the inaugural video is on “World Geo-Graphic Atlas” (1953) designed by Herbert Bayer with Martin Rosenzweig, Henry Gardiner and Masato Nakagawa. Without the proper knowledge, I can't determine for myself the 'rarity' of the book (at least in the eyes of our membershelp me out in the comments section, ABAA-ers!), but the video is short, informative and well done. It's a lovely look at the atlas with a specific focus on the elements of design. Although not technically 'in the business' myself, I always have our members' livelihoods in mind, and I think this sort of multimedia 'introduction' to an item is great. I know it would most likely be a timely and possibly costly procedure, but it may be prove to be a worthwhile way to showcase a high spot in your inventory or to introduce potential buyers to an area of specialization (like pochior, for instance). Celebrating Vintage Books: A stunning, $800 Atlas Rare Book Feast [more Launch of 'Rare Book Feast']



Member in the News: Ken Sanders

By Susan Benne

In early April, I posted about an amazing find that member Ken Sanders made at a charity event in Sandy, Utaha German language Nuremberg Chronicle from 1494. The owner had no idea what he possessed; it was passed down from a great uncle and has been sitting in his attic for decades, which impacted the condition of the book greatly (only about 1/3 of the full text is present). Despite its condition and the fact that it's not incredibly rare, with an estimated several hundred copies in circulation worldwide, the text is still quite a find and has significance for historians and bibliophiles alike. Heather O'Donnell, a book buyer at fellow ABAA member firm Bauman Rare Books, commented that the Nuremberg Chronicle is a "landmark of printing" and each individual page possesses a "genuine value". Collectors, she says, "see it as a part of western civilization and want to pass it on". Since he 'found' the book in April, Ken says that his shop has been flooded with calls and emails from interested buyers. It is now on sale at Ken Sanders Rare Books for $35,000. 500-year-old- book on sale in Utah for $35K [more Member in the News: Ken Sanders]



British Library Launches Rare Book iPad App

By Susan Benne

The British Library has just unveiled a new iPad application that allows users to peruse more than 60,000 19th century books. All of the titles are in the public domain and, unlike e-books, are scanned versions of the original texts and include maps and original illustrations. The British Library partnered with Bibliolabs to create the app. Bibliolabs is a development company that specializes in the digital distribution of antique and rare books. Mitchell Davis, the company's founder, commented that the "iPad allows for a level of intimacy with these antiquarian books that evokes a sense of engagement and curiosity that is not possible in a browser based experience." Many have been wringing their hands over the future of the rare book trade in the age of e-books and digitalization, but I think this project exemplifies that the two are not mutually exclusive. In my opinion, this app is so exciting because it expands the audience of rare book enthusiasts; it allows those who are interested but may be intimidated to handle the materials to have a closer look at the original texts (I currently fall under this category!), and it has the potential to be a great marketing tool for booksellers (I am thinking virtual, interactive catalogues). There is no question that holding an iPad, even when loaded with images of rare texts, does not compare to seeing and holding the actual book. It may, however, prompt people to want to see, hold or possess the actual textthe best of both worlds.... [more British Library Launches Rare Book iPad App]



Member in the News: Kenneth Karmiole

By Susan Benne

Kenneth Karmiole has received the Distinguished Alumni Award for 2011 from the UCLA Library and Information Studies Alumni Association. A graduate in the MLS class of 1971, he is the first antiquarian bookseller to be so honored. An award dinner was held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on May 19th, where Ken was presented with the award. A keynote address was given by Kevin Starr, author and historian, best known for his multi-volume series "Americans and the California Dream". Congratulations, Ken! [more Member in the News: Kenneth Karmiole]