Dennis Melhouse
Dennis Melhouse has a rich educational history that led him to the trade. Dennis earned a degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois before receiving a fellowship to play with the Wichita Symphony. During his fellowship, Dennis attended Wichita State and earned a Master's Degree in Music History. He returned to the Chicago area and spent time at the University of Chicago enrolled in a Masters program for Library Science before he transferred to Loyola and earned a degree in Industrial Relations. He went on to work as a personnel director for major corporations and it was during this time that he began collecting rare books. It was this passion that led him to bookselling– it was a way he could fund his collecting habit. First Folio was founded in 1984 and Dennis devoted himself to bookselling full-time within a few years. First Folio is located in Paris, TN and specializes in Illustrated Books, Books about Books, Fine Bindings, Rare Books, and General Antiquarian Books. ABAA Member since 1990. Interviewed by Taylor Bowie on October 11, 2009 at the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair.