Book Fairs, for decades have been an integral part of the rare and collectible book business but their role has been changing and their importance declining as the structure of the business has been recast by the internet, by the development of online listing sites and the emergence of the online access to auctions. This has been difficult and probably inevitable but it is disturbing and worth whatever efforts can be made to maintain the frequency, prominence and importance of rare book fairs.
The loss of the main street shop has happened so quickly and ended with such finality that barely a word is even spoken about it now. Certainly some shops remain and some ingenious players are figuring out how to survive, and even prosper but the halcyon days of great shops, even in the largest towns, is gone. We bid and buy online in ever increasing numbers but thereby miss the human interaction that was once an essential component of the trade.
This past week I checked in with both the Bustamante Shows and the Flamingo Eventz organizations and their continuing efforts to promote shows in the books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera categories. Both have been at it for years and have been very successful promoting fairs on the east and west coasts of the United States. In speaking about shows they describe a selling medium in transition. In Rochester, New Hampshire, Tina Bruno of Flamingo indicated that the volume of shows nationally has probably declined significantly over the past five years but emphasizes that the shows that continue are the strong ones and they look secure. But she notes too that the average age of exhibitors has been increasing even as the oldest participants are exiting. The Bustamante Organization in California sees it somewhat differently. “Books, manuscript, maps and ephemera look pretty good to us. We also promote antiques fairs and they are a much tougher proposition. These days such fairs attract perhaps a third of the participants they used to. By comparison our books fairs are quite strong, if not quite so many as they used to be.”
I asked both if, to attract new exhibitors and regular traffic, such shows should be more open to collector-dealer participation, something that many dealers are concerned about. In principal the answer is yes but dealer concerns are not baseless. Collectors who become dealers to participate long term will be welcome while those simply looking to do a few shows to liquidate their holdings will not. Dealers understand that prices move in two directions but are concerned that fire sales will undermine the entire field.
The ABAA, the most important show promoter in the category, as a member organization does not accept casual exhibitors. This is simply their rule. But other shows, those of Bustamante and Flamingo for example, are not so bound and could provide opportunities for fledgling collector-dealers to offer material. After all, as one promoter pointed out, “virtually every dealer started out as a collector,” but of course that was when the field was growing and prices were rising. Getting through this difficult period will take some coordination but I expect many collectors will be interested to become exhibitors if given the chance.
Net of all consideration shows are still losing ground, the strongest doing fine but others fraying at the edges. The causes are obvious; aging dealers, tired inventory and the explosion in collecting options. Encouraging collectors interested to become dealers could bring fresh vitality, new faces, and material that have set on shelves for decades.
This is logical given that the field is still struggling to find the next generation of collectors. They are buying but they are buying at auction. An important step for the trade will be to encourage these newbies to come to shows. To do that fresh faces and fresh material will be key. Once there, the dealers’ great material and persuasive ways can do their magic. Online listings tend to make copies sound the same. In person the collector can see first hand the difference. And once understood, the dealer becomes a source of material and perspective.
For promoters an infusion of collector-dealers could refill the now somewhat depleted exhibitor lists, perhaps enough so that within a few years such events might even provide a meaningful uptick in attendance. In time statistics such as 40 professional dealers and 25 collector-dealers might infuse these shows with real excitement. For myself a large group of collector-dealers would be very interesting. I could even see a once every two-year collector-to-collector show, becoming a major national event.
Whatever else you take away from this brief article the net-net is that shows are very important. And I suspect the next wave of dealers will come from the serious collector ranks. They will bring vitality and I hope they will be welcomed.
If you are a collector and would consider manning your own booth a few times each year contact one of these organizations or email me at bmckinney@americanaexchange.com for a discussion. There are shows that will welcome you.
Flamingo Eventz, LLC
Tina and John Bruno
P. O. Box 157
Rochester, New Hampshire 03866
603.509.2639
Email: info@flamingoeventz.com
Bustamante Shows
P. O.Box 637
Atwater, California 95301
209.358.3134
Email: shelia@bustamante-shows.com
And finally, as a reminder of the importance of shows, here’s a list of events in the United States and Canada from now to year-end.
Oak Knoll Fest XVIII
New Castle, Delaware 19720
Symposium and Festival
Friday-Sunday, October 3-5
Book Fair:
Saturday October 4th, 12-5
Sunday October 5, 12-3:30
Allentown Book and Paper Show
W. Chew Street & 17th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104
Saturday October 4th, 9-5
Sunday October 5th, 9-3
The Pasadena Antiquarian Book, Print, Photo & Paper Fair
The Pasadena Center
300 East Green Street
Pasadena, California 91101
Saturday October 4th, 11-6
Sunday October 5th, 11-4
Greater Seattle Postcard & Paper Collectibles Fair
Kent Commons
525 4th Avenue N. Kent
Seattle, Washington 98032
Saturday October 4th, 10-6
Sunday October 5th, 11-4
Vancouver Antiquarian, Collectible & Rare Book Fair
UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, British Columbia V6Z 3B7
Saturday October 4th, 1 to 7
Sunday October 5th, 11 to 4
Vermont Foliage Book Fair
Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
10 Vernon Street
Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
Saturday October 4, 11-5
Michigan Antiquarian Book & Paper Show
333 E. Michigan Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48933
Sunday October 5, 9:30 to 5
North Texas Book & Paper Show
Grapevine Convention Center
1209 South Main Street
Grapevine, Texas 76051
Friday, October 10, 6 to 9 pm
Saturday, October 11, 10 to 5
53rd Annual Chicago Book and Paper Fair
Journeymen Plumbers’ Union Hall
1349 W. Washington Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60607
Saturday, October 11. 10 to 5
Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
3rd Avenue North & Mercer Streets
Seattle, Washington 98109
Saturday October 11, 10 to 6
Sunday October 12, 11 to 4
The Pioneer Valley Book & Ephemera Fair
The Smith Vocational School
80 Locust Street [Rt. 9]
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
Sunday October 12, 10 to 4
Fine Press Showcase at the 39th Annual American Printing History Association Conference held jointly with the Friends of Dard Hunter
375 Rhode Island Street
San Francisco, California 94103
Thursday, October 16 to Saturday, October 18
Check their website for events and hours
printinghistory.org/programs/conference/2014-conference/
62nd York Book & Paper Fair
Holiday Inn & Conference Center
2000 Loucks Road
York, Pennsylvania
Saturday, October 18, 9 to 4
40th Annual Albany Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair
195 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12210
Sunday October 19, 10 to 4
The 34th Ottawa Antiquarian Book Fair
Tudor Hall
3750 North Bowesville Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1V 1B8
Sunday October 26th, 10:30 to 5
The 71st Long Island Antiquarian Book Dealer’s Fair
Hofstra University Student Center
200 Hofstra University Dr., [off Hempstead Turnpike]
Hempstead, New York 11549
Saturday November 1, 11 to 6
Sunday November 2, 11 to 4
San Marino Postcard & Paper Collectible Fair
San Marino Masonic Center
3130 Huntington Drive
San Marino, California 91108
Saturday, November 1, 10 to 6
Sunday, November 2, 10 to 4
Gadsden’s Wychwood Old Book and Paper Show
Artscape Wychwood Barns
601 Christie Street
Toronto, Ontario M6G 4C7
Sunday, November 2, 10 to 4
12th Annual Houston Book Fair
The Museum of Printing History
1324 West Clay Street
Houston, Texas 77019
Saturday, November 8, 10 to 5
Toronto International Antiquarian Book Fair
Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5T 1G4
Friday, November 7, 5 to 9
Saturday, November 8, 10 to 5
Sunday, November 9, noon to 4:30
The 38th Annual Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair
John B. Hynes Convention Center
900 Boyleston Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Friday, November 14, 5 to 9 pm
Saturday, November 15, noon to 7
Sunday, November 16, noon to 5
The Shadow Show
The Boston Book, Print, and Ephemera Show
John Hancock Hall
Back Bay Events Center
180 Berkeley Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
Saturday November 15, 8 to 4
Vintage Paper Fair – Silicon Valley
San Jose Elks Lodge
444 West Alma Avenue
San Jose, California 95110
Saturday, November 15, 10 to 5
The New Jersey Vintage Book & Ephemera Fair
The Bethwood
38 Lackawanna Avenue
Totowa, New Jersey 07511
Friday, November 28, 5 to 9
Saturday, November 29, 9 to 3
