San Francisco Antiquarian Book, Print & Paper Fair
By Bruce McKinney
Over the weekend of February 9th and 10th the San Francisco Antiquarian Book, Print & Paper Fair opens a two day stand at the San Francisco Concourse. Two hundred and two firms will exhibit. The following weekend, the ABAA holds its annual California Fair in Los Angeles at the Hyatt Regency Century. One hundred and eighty-one participants are listed on the event's website. These fairs are very different but both offer fresh material, the opportunity to inspect pieces first hand and the chance to meet new dealers. Such fairs occur infrequently and these are the two largest antiquarian book fairs scheduled in California in 2008. Both fairs are highly recommended.
41st California International Antiquarian Book Fair: Hours and location.
The San Francisco fair attracts a more eclectic group of exhibitors, the LA fair a strong concentration of the world's leading dealers. The booths in San Francisco are larger and rents lower so exhibitors are able to bring a wider range of material. At the LA Fair you may be browsing alongside a movie star, in San Francisco a software millionaire. Both will be wearing dark glasses.
The San Francisco fair includes information tables and representatives of various libraries, associations and services.
The ABAA fair includes space for non-profits and lecturn and chairs for panel discussions.
On Saturday in Los Angeles, at 1:00 pm, there is the first of three presentations over two days:
The Rare Book Community: Collectors, Dealers and Libraries -Presented by Daniel Slive, Russell A. Johnson, Deborah Whiteman and Gordon Hollis, Moderator. - Insights into the inner workings of the world of rare books directly from collectors, librarians and antiquarian book dealers.
On Sunday, at noon –
Rare Books 101 - Presented by Katy Carter, Carol Sandberg and Bruce Whiteman. In just one hour, noted rare booksellers will provide a speed course on the essentials you need to know to start collecting. Included is the 20 minute presentation: Internet as a research tool for shopping: EBay versus ABE, how not to get duped, and how to build a trusting relationship with your bookseller.
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
Freeman’s | Hindman Western Manuscripts and Miniatures July 8, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman 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.
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern Now through July 10, 2025
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern Now through July 10, 2025
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.
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern Now through July 10, 2025
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.