Rare Book Monthly

Articles - November - 2019 Issue

The Boston Antiquarian Book Fair Nov. 15-17

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside

A right of passage in New England each fall, the ABAA Book Fair in Boston, returns to the Hynes Center November 15-17.  This is one of the ABAA’s fairs and a stalwart event for east coast dealers and an opportunity for dealers more distant, with important things to sell, to exhibit.  This year 132 dealers will be filling Hynes Center with compelling material.  Each year the show organizers rethink the admissions policies and this year admission is being charged only on opening night Friday 15 November. For Saturday and Sunday admissions will be free.

 

For bibliophiles, be they dealers, librarians, collectors, or the simply curious this fair makes a serious effort to appeal to all communities including the offering of low-priced printed collectables for those early in their collecting experience.

 

Note that the fair offers discovery opportunities as well as lectures by highly experienced professionals.

 

Here’s the release.

 

 

43rd BOSTON INTERNATIONAL ANTIQUARIAN BOOK FAIR

at the

HYNES CONVENTION CENTER, NOVEMBER 15-17, 2019

 

Highlighted items include a rare extant copy of the second folio of Shakespeare’s “Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies” from 1632, one of the most spectacular bird’s eye view maps of Boston ever published, and the first edition of the 1611 King James “The Great He Bible”

 

~Free Book Appraisals on Sunday, Nov. 17, 1-3pm~

~Free Admission on Saturday & Sunday~

 

 

BOSTON, MA – The annual fall gathering for booklovers, the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston’s beautiful Back Bay for its 43rd year, November 15-17, 2019. Featuring the collections and rare treasures of 132 booksellers from the U.S., England, Canada, Netherlands, France, Germany, Russia, Denmark, Hungary, and Argentina, the Boston Book Fair gives visitors the opportunity to see, learn about, and purchase the finest in rare and valuable books, illuminated manuscripts, autographs, graphics, maps, atlases, photographs, fine and decorative prints, and much more.

 

Among the highlighted items for sale at this year’s fair will be the 1879 Bailey & Hazen Map of Boston, one of the most spectacular bird’s eye views of Boston ever published; an extremely rare extant version of the Second Folio of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. (with an epitaph from John Milton), 1632; Russian Suprematist art and design from the 1920s; a rare 18th century Italian illustrated book of dice and card games, mathematical riddles, sleight-of-hand, and magic;the first printing of Ernest Thayer's poem Casey at The Bat, 1901; a unique and significant collection of early 20th century documents from the National Liberal Immigration League; a set of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion charts.(1662) from the Edo Period; the first edition of the 1611 King James “The Great He Bible,” arguably the most important book ever published in English; an extraordinary collection of early 20th century Japanese woodblock prints; Original Dr. Pepper Advertising Art from the early 1960s; and rare and first editions of works by Margaret Atwood, James Baldwin, William Blake, Albert Camus, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Betty Friedan, Aldous Huxley, Jack London, Edgar Allen Poe, Beatrix Potter, Ayn Rand, Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, and Edith Wharton. 

One of the oldest and most respected antiquarian book shows in the country, the event offers a top selection of items available on the international literary market. Attendees have the unique chance to get a close look at rare and historic museum-quality items, offered by some of the most prestigious participants in the trade. Whether just browsing or buying, the Fair offers something for every taste and budget—books on art, politics, travel, gastronomy, and science to sport, natural history, literature, music, and children’s books—all appealing to a range of bibliophiles and browsers.

 

Special events at this year’s fair kick off with an Opening Night celebration on Friday, Nov. 15 from 4-8pm; and feature talks with MFA curator Meghan Melvin on the exhibition “Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision” (Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2:30pm); Getting Started in Family History, by Alice Kane from the New England Historic Genealogical Society (Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12:30pm); and The Graphic Revolution, a two-part exploration looking at the explosion in the collecting and creation of graphic novels and comic books in the 20th & 21st centuries, highlighted by a panel discussion led by noted scholar Hillary Chute with local authors Tim Finn, Liz Prince, and Nick Thorkelson (Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1pm & 2pm).  On Sunday from 1-3pm, attendees can bring in their own books for FREE APPRAISALS!  For full programming details visit http://bostonbookfair.com/event-category/

For attendees wanting to start a collection without breaking the bank, there will be dealers offering “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less, including a selection of children’s books and decorative cloth bindings. The Fair is an opportunity to learn tips on how to start a collection and talk to dealers who are experts in their specialties.

Tickets are $25 for Friday night’s exclusive Opening Night event, an opportunity for the public to get a first look at items for sale at the Fair; admission is free on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday, November 15              4:00-8:00pm             Tickets: $25.00 - Opening Night         
Saturday, November 16          12:00-7:00pm           Free Admission
Sunday, November 17             12:00-5:00pm          Free Admission

 

Hynes Convention Center
900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA
www.mccahome.com

 

The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair is sponsored by the New England Chapter of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit the Boston Public Library and the American Antiquarian Society. Tickets are for sale at www.bostonbookfair.com and at the show’s box office during Friday evening show hours.  

  

For more information, please visit www.bostonbookfair.com or call 617-266-6540.

 

WWW.BOSTONBOOKFAIR.COM 

FACEBOOK @BOSTONBOOKFAIR

INSTAGRAM @BOSTONBOOKFAIR

TAG US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: #BIABF19 

 

The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair is produced by CommPromo, Inc. www.commpromo.com

 

Rare Book Monthly

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    Western Manuscripts and Miniatures
    July 8, 2025
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FRANCESCO PETRARCH (b. Arezzo, 20 July 1304; d. Arqua Petrarca, 19 July 1374). $20,000-30,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF THE VITAE IMPERATORUM (active Milan, 1431-1459). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF ATTAVANTE DEGLI ATTAVANTI (GABRIELLO DI VANTE) (active Florence, c. 1452-c. 1520/25). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FOLLOWER OF HERMAN SCHEERE (active London, c. 1405-1425). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. An exceptionally rare, illuminated music leaf from a Mozarabic Antiphonal with sister leaves mostly in museum collections. $11,500-14,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Exceptional leaf from a prestigious Antiphonary by a leading illuminator of the late Duecento. $11,500-14,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF MS REID 33 and SELWERD ABBEY SCRIPTORIUM (AGNES MARTINI?) (active The Netherlands, Groningen, c. 1468-1510). $10,000-15,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Previously unknown illumination from one of the most renowned Gothic Choir Book sets of the Middle Ages. $6,000-8,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum, July 17: Lucianus Samosatensis. Dialogoi, editio princeps, second issue, Florence, Laurentius Francisci de Alopa, 1496. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, July 17: Boccaccio (Giovanni). Il Decamerone, Florence, Philippo di Giunta, 1516. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, July 17: Henry VII (King) & Philip the Fair (Duke of Burgundy). [Intercursus Magnus], [Commercial and Political Treaty between Henry VII and Philip Duke of Burgundy], manuscript copy in Latin, original vellum, 1499. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum, July 17: Bible, English. The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New, Robert Barker, 1613. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, July 17: Bond (Michael). A Bear Called Paddington, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1958. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum, July 17: Yeats (William Butler). The Secret Rose, first edition, with extensive autograph corrections, additions and amendments by the author for a new edition, 1897. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, bound in dark green morocco elaborately tooled in gilt and with 3 watercolours to fore-edge, by Fazakerley of Liverpool, 1841. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, July 17: Miró (Juan), Wassily Kandinsky, John Buckland-Wright, Stanley William Hayter and others.- Spender (Stephen). Fraternity, one of 101 copies, with signed engravings by 9 artists. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Sowerby (George Brettingham). Album comprising 22 leaves of original watercolour drawings of fossil remains of Cheltenham and Vicinity, [c.1840]. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Mathematics.- Blue paper copy.- Euclid. De gli Elementi, Urbino, Appresso Domenico Frisolino, 1575. £12,000 to £18,000.
  • Sotheby’s
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    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Book of Hours by the Masters of Otto van Moerdrecht, Use of Sarum, in Latin, Southern Netherlands (Bruges), c.1450. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Albert Einstein. Autograph letter signed, to Attilio Palatino, on his research into General Relativity, 12 May 1929. £12,000 to £18,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: John Gould. The Birds of Europe, [1832-] 1837, 5 volumes, contemporary half morocco, subscriber’s copy. £40,000 to £60,000.
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    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Ian Fleming. A collection of James Bond first editions, 8 volumes in all. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.R.R. Tolkien. Autograph letter signed, to Amy Ronald, on Pauline Baynes's map of Middle Earth, 1970. £7,000 to £10,000.
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  • DOYLE
    Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
    July 23, 2025
    DOYLE, July 23: WALL, BERNHARDT. Greenwich Village. Types, Tenements & Temples. Estimate $300-500
    DOYLE, July 23: STOKES, I. N. PHELPS. The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498-1909. New York: Robert H. Dodd, 1915-28. Estimate: $3,000-5,000
    DOYLE, July 23: [AUTOGRAPH - US PRESIDENT]FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. A signed photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Estimate $500-800
    DOYLE, July 23: [ARION PRESS]. ABBOTT, EDWIN A. Flatland. A Romance of Many Dimensions. San Francisco, 1980. Estimate $2,000-3,000.
    DOYLE, July 23: TOLSTOY, LYOF N. and NATHAN HASKELL DOLE, translator. Anna Karénina ... in eight parts. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., [1886]. Estimate: $400-600
    DOYLE, July 23: ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000. Estimate $1,200-1,800

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