Rare Book Monthly

Articles - November - 2021 Issue

Boston Book Fair goes virtual November 18-20

A sampling of items being offered at the ABAA's Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition

A sampling of items being offered at the ABAA's Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition

The ABAA invites bibliophiles everywhere to join the hunt for rare books and all manner of fine works on paper at the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America’s Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition. This will take place November 18-20, in lieu of the in-person Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. With the Fair online, everyone around the globe can attend the Boston Book Fair, one of the oldest and most respected antiquarian book shows in the U.S.! 

The ABAA Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition opens at 12 p.m./EST on November 18 and will remain open continuously, 24 hours a day, until the event’s closing on November 20 at 8 p.m./EST. Admission is free. Visitors will be able to interact with book, map, autograph, and ephemera sellers in real-time directly from the virtual book fair platform. 

“As the leaves change in New England and the students return to Boston,” Nicole Reiss, Chair, ABAA Boston Book Fair Committee, invites exhibitors to, “join colleagues in another outstanding virtual fair event.” Both American and international exhibitors will offer a rich selection of manuscripts, unique ephemera, artist books, zines, as well as early American and European literature, modern first editions, children’s books, maps, autographs, photographs, and more. 

In recent years, at the book fairs, novice and younger collectors have been increasingly captivated by unique offerings at accessible price points. Continuing in this spirit, for attendees wanting to start a collection, there is something for everyone and dealers will offer “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less.

“The virtual book fairs have been an important way for booksellers and collectors to stay connected during this past year and a half of closures and canceled in-person events, and they have produced a number of unexpected benefits,” said Sheryl Jaeger, ABAA Vice President and Chair, Virtual Book Fair Committee. “Once again, we’re taking the opportunity to be together without leaving home, flying, or packing your wares. Customers can search the entire fair, quickly by product type, category, price, or keyword for those with special interests, or, if preferred, take a leisurely scroll through the aisles to visit exhibitors both new and familiar.”

Be sure to bookmark abaa.org/vbf to visit the fair at the opening and sign up for email alerts to receive updates about special programming and more. For more information, visit abaa.org/vbf or call 212.944.8291.

Founded in 1949, the ABAA is the oldest antiquarian booksellers trade association in the United States and upholds the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. The membership includes 450 sellers of books, prints, documents, maps, and ephemera across the U.S. 

Contact: 

Susan Benne, ABAA Executive Director 

212.944.8291 | hq@abaa.org

Rare Book Monthly

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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.
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    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, 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
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