Highlights from this year's fair were the “Ars Minor” of Aelius Donatus (a 15th century Latin primer) possibly printed before the Gutenberg Bible (Patrick Olson Rare Books), a handwritten poem entitled “The Snowflake Star” by a 14-year-old Sylvia Plath (Type Punch Matrix); a 1563 edition of “On the Nature of Things” by Lucretius (Evening Star Books), an eye-popping contemporary art book by Franco-Mexican artist Lorena Velazquez (Kaaterskill Books); a lavishly illustrated 1533 French Book of Hours (James Gray Booksellers), the first ‘indestructible’ German children's book printed on fabric in 1840 (Simon Beattie); along with a first edition of John Steinbeck's “East of Eden” (GrayShelf Books), a signed limited edition of “Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist” from the Library of Living Philosophers (First Edition Rare Books) as well as a Black Panther Party “Black is Beautiful” engraving from 1965 (Bromer Booksellers), and so much more.

One of the international exhibitors represented was Maggs Bros, hailing from London, who attracted a lot of attention with a book listing the winning numbers and prizes for the first authorized lottery in Colonial America, valued at $15,000. “The title of the book is ‘Benefit Tickets in the Government Lottery of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, For the Sum of Thirty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pounds’, " said rare books dealer Fuchsia Voremberg.  According to Voremberg, the book is thought to be the only surviving copy of lottery results from the Massachusetts Bay colony in 1745. "Prior to this copy coming onto the market, we’re not even sure if people knew that it existed," Voremberg told WBZ NewsRadio on Sunday.

Another London dealer, Peter Harrington Rare Books, brought a signed copy of William Butler Yeats’s first play, Mosada, Billed as “one of the greatest rarities of English literature,” the work was on display this weekend for the first time since 1956 – and its £125,000 price tag is all thanks to a message from beyond the grave  It was last displayed at Trinity College Dublin 67 years ago.

Written in 1886, when Yeats was just 21, Mosada is a short verse play that had a print run of 100. Only 21 are thought to have survived, nine signed. This one has Yeats’s signature, but also a problematic dedication. It was signed to what for many years was thought to be a “Mrs Zena Powell, from her friend, the author.” Recent research revealed her name to actually be Zena Vowell, and reports from a 1924 seance helped to solve the mystery.

John Reznikoff of University Archives exhibited a love letter from founding father George Washington, written prior to his presidency.  “Dear Madam, when I had the happiness to see you last, you expressed an inclination,” Reznikoff read. “This is an amazing survival of the only known letter of George Washington in private hands to the real love of his life, who was Sally Fairfax,” he added.

And, San Francisco-based dealer John Windle was ecstatic about this year’s Fair. "It’s the luck of the draw, ain’t it! I was not supposed to go to Boston due to recent surgery but I “had a feeling” and went anyway…and at the opening we were off to the races with a $12,500 sale to a newbie (to me) who, it turns out, is well known to Americana specialists. Then we sold a Cook’s third voyage to a dealer, about $30K’s worth of William Blake to a proper gent, a very rare (4 known) Cosway solid gold binding to a UK dealer, a couple of modern firsts (yes, really!) and a few bibs and bobs to Americana dealers for the better part of $90K — which all together equals the grand combined total of my last half dozen Boston Fairs. For the Latinists amongst us: “nunc scripsi totum pro christo da michi potum.” (Now I’ve had my say for Christ’s sake give me a drink).”