ILAB on the Road - Antiquarian Booksellers of Santiago de Chile, Montevideo and Buenos Aires

By Eric P. Waschke

From the 25th of October until the 11th of November, I visited the antiquarian booksellers in the capitals of the Southern South American countries of Chile, Uruguay and Argentina.

The first book published in the Americas was published in Mexico in the 16th century and thus Latin America has had a rich and long history of printing and publishing and therefore is an important part of the global history and culture of the book. Santiago de Chile, Montevideo and Buenos Aires are three of the richest and most historic cities in South America and thus have a rich stock of antiquarian books including Latin American imprints and European imprints in Spanish, French, English and German and in that order of prevalence. Therefore these three cities all have some very good antiquarian booksellers who would make excellent additions to ILAB.

Santiago de Chile

Santiago de Chile, as one would expect from a city founded by the Spanish in 1541 and with a present day population of nearly six million, probably has more than 100 used and antiquarian bookshops. Fortunately, I was there about three years ago and so I was quickly able to navigate the city and visit the three main areas where most of these bookshops are found.

Firstly, there are 36 small used bookshops (some with antiquarian stock) found at Galerias Veneto Feria Permanente Del Libro Usado (Avenida Providencia 1108-1120). Several other used bookshops are also found nearby on Avenida Provedencia. The shops of this Feria Permanente are small in size (stock between 500-1000 books each) and if they have any antiquarian stock it is usually less than 100 books post 1850. One exception is Patricio Rojas (Provedencia 1120, local #75) who has a small stock of less than 500 antiquarian books.

Secondly, there are about 40 used bookshops close to the Universidad de Chile on San Diego. Most (28) of the used and antiquarian bookshops of this area are found in the shopping passage at 119 San Diego. Again the stock of these bookshops is of a similar size and character as those of the bookshops at the Feria Permanente. The best of these booksellers on San Diego is Luis Rivano, who has two shops with one devoted entirely to Chilean authors.

Lastly, there are three used and antiquarian shops in the Barrio Bellas Artes on Merced, including the best two antiquarian bookshops in Santiago which in my opinion are working at an ILAB equivalent level: Firstly, El Cid Campeador, Carlos Vivar & Jeannette Cares (Merced 345, Local 4 y 5, Santiago de Chile, Tel.: (562) 632 1540, Fax.: (562) 638 5087, libroselcid@hotmail.com, www.libroselcidcampeador.com)

They have been in business for over twenty years and you can judge their stock for yourselves as they have 13780 books listed on ABE including 266 books over $ 1000 US. And, Libreria y Estudio Bibliografico America Del Sur, Cesar Soto Gomez (Merced 306, Santiago de Chile, Tel.: (562) 633 7903, libreria.americadelsur@gmail.com, galaxy@netline.cl) The owner has been in business for over 30 years and has written a bibliographical book on Pablo Neruda. He has about 1000 Antiquarian books in stock, mainly relating to South America.

At this point I would also like to mention that in past visits to Lima, Peru, I met a very good antiquarian bookseller who again in my opinion is working at an ILAB equivalent level: Libreria Anticuaria Sur Paco Sanseviero (Miguel Dasso 143, San Isidro, Lima 27 Peru, Tel.: (511) 221 4946 & (511) 440 0607, info@elvirrey.com)

Montevideo

Montevideo was established relatively late as a Spanish American Capital with the Spanish making it their main naval base in the South Atlantic in 1776. Today Montevideo boasts the highest quality of life in Latin America and has a population of 1,300,000. It no doubt has quite few smaller used book shops, but as I only had one full day there I decided to focus on the five main shops, three of which have a significant antiquarian stock.

The best antiquarian shop in Montevideo is no doubt Libreria Linardi y Risso which is run by the two partners Andres Linardi and Alvaro J. Risso and was established in 1944 and since then has specialized in Latin American books. A small selection of their over 10,000 book stock (including at least 2000 antiquarian books) is on abebooks.com.

Juan Carlos Gómez 1435
Montevideo 11000 Uruguay
Tel. (598 2) 915 7129, Fax. (598 2) 915 7431
info@linardiyrisso.com - www.linardiyrisso.com

Secondly, Libreria El Galeon owned by Roberto Cataldo who has over 30 years experience in the business. This shop has about 10,000 books including about 1000 antiquarian books.

Juan C. Gomez 1327
Montevideo Uruguay
Tel. (598 2) 915 6139 & (598 2) 915 7909
galeoneste@hotmail.com & elgaleon@libreriagaleon.com

And lastly, Libreria Oriente Occidente owned by Julio Moses who also has over 30 years of experience in the business. This shop also has about 10,000 books including about 500 antiquarian books.

Rincon 609
Montevideo CP 11000 Uruguay
Tel. (598 2) 915 4065
mosesbks@adinet.com.uy - www.mosesbks.com

The final two shops I visited included a very good used book shop with about 20,000 books which has a 75 year history, however, the books were mainly used with little antiquarian stock.

Feria Del Libro
Av. 18 de Julio 1308
Montevideo Uruguay
Tel. (598 2) 900 2070 & (598 2) 900 4248

Finally I visited a typical South American used bookshop with an eclectic mix of about 2000 used and antiquarian (250) books. This shop has a good location as it is situated on corner of the Peatonal Sarandi.

Libreria Anticiuario El Aleph
Bartolome Mitre 1358
Montevideo Uruguay
Tel. (598 2) 916 3687
rhferreiro@hotmail.com

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires was first established in what is today the San Telmo district of the city by a Spanish expedition led by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536. Buenos Aires is currently the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo, with a population of around 15 million. Buenos Aires is considered the wealthiest city in South America and the Southern Hemisphere and as such is also the cultural center of Latin America with the largest number (well over 100) of antiquarian and used bookshops.

There are used bookshops all over the city with many situated on Avenida Corrientes and Avenida de Mayo. Also, I was told of two large used book markets (Parque Rivadavia (Caballito) & Plaza Italia (Palermo) which unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to visit. However, I was able to visit the Sunday San Telmo Fleamarket on Defensa, a pedestrian avenue which is also lined by daily open antique shops, shopping passages and markets. Of course amongst the curios and antiques, a significant number of antiquarian books can also be found.

ALADA

Thus considering the quantity of antique shops and antiquarian and used bookshops in Buenos Aires it isn’t surprising that South America’s largest association of antiquarian booksellers can be found here:

La Asociación de Libreros Anticuarios de Argentina, ALADA
Tucumán 712 (1049)
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires
República Argentina
(+54 11) 4322-6198
www.alada.org.ar

ALADA has 41 members and was original founded in 1952. However, the modern reincarnation of ALADA has an excellent website and has been in existence since 1998 and has since then hosted eleven annual membership dinners and put on five antiquarian book fairs since 2004. I visited the set-up of this year’s fair (fifth) which was once again held in the Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernandez Blanco, Suipacha 1422, Buenos Aires from the 12th to 15th of November. This fair usually has between fifteen and twenty exhibitors and is held in a beautiful historic building with a very pleasant garden.

ALADA has published amongst other things: five book fair catalogs, an excellent 2008 membership directory with a map of Buenos Aires showing where all the members’ shops are and various other bulletins. ALADA is a very professionally organized and run association which is highly respected and liked by all of its members. The success of ALADA is in large part due to the hard work of its committee members headed by: Presidente Señor Alberto María Casares, Vicepresidente: Señor Lucio Fernando Aquilanti, Secretaria: Señora Elena Padín Olinik, Tesorero: Señor Diran Sirinian

Apart from the four Argentinean ILAB members who are also ALADA members, I was able to visit twenty-five other ALADA members in Buenos Aires. In my opinion the majority of these booksellers are working at an average ILAB standard or above.

During my visit in Buenos Aires I was able to meet individually with all the members of the ALADA committee and I also had a group meeting with most of them including the President. At the end of this group meeting the ALADA President and committee were very excited and positive about the possibility of ALADA joining ILAB. As the ALADA booksellers have a very close relationship with the main booksellers in Montevideo, the possibility of ALADA accepting these booksellers as members was also discussed. In addition, the possibility of also extending this invitation to the better Chilean booksellers was discussed. Whether ALADA or AILA gives membership to the Uruguayan and Chilean booksellers is an issue that should be discussed. In my opinion ALADA is a very well run, well liked and respected association which has all the ingredients of a excellent association of antiquarian booksellers.

List of ALADA members with my comments on their antiquarian stock:

ALBERTO CASARES
Suipacha 521 - (1008) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Alberto Casares
4322-6198 / 4322-0794
casareslibros@fibertel.com.ar
www.acasares.servisur.com

President of ALADA
Shop: Estimated 10,000 books of which approximately 3000 are antiquarian
1535 books on abebooks.com / price range $5 -$24,000 US

AQUILANTI
Rincón 79 - (1081) - Buenos Aires
Sra. Susana Durrant – Sr. Lucio Aquilanti
4952-4546
aquilanti@speedy.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 50,000 books of which approximately 10,000 are antiquarian
18021 books on abebooks.com / price range $5 -$3,600 US

ARMANDO VITES Librero Anticuario
Pueyrredón 138 - (2000) - Rosario, Santa Fe.
Sr. Armando Vites
(0341) 436-0306
armandovites@arnet.com.ar

Did not visit
4623 books on abebooks.com / price range $12 -$18,000 US

CUEVA LIBROS
Sarmiento 1566 – (1042) Buenos Aires
Sr. Alberto Costa
4382-5176
info@cuevalibros.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 10,000 books of which approximately 500 are antiquarian
7204 books on abebooks.com / price range $5 -$2,000 US

EL FARO DEL FIN DEL MUNDO
Libertad 1240 – U20 – (1012) Buenos Aires
Sr. Roberto di Giorgio
4816-2920

Shop: 1000’s of antique maps and prints with 250 antiquarian books

EL INCUNABLE
Montevideo 1519 - (1018) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Rodolfo Lüchter Bunge
Tel/fax: 4811-4868
elincunable@hotmail.com

Estimated 3,000 books of which approximately 1,500 are antiquarian
10,324 books on abebooks.com / price range $10 -$5,500 US

ENTRE LIBROS
Santa Fe 2450 Loc.7 Sub. - (1123) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Daniel Kiceleff - Sra. Alicia Kiceleff
4824-6035 - 4785-9884
enlibros@fibertel.com.ar
www.entrelibros.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 30,000 mainly used books of which approximately 500 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA ALBERTO PEREMIANSKY
C.C. Central 3659 - (1000) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Alberto Peremiansky
(5411) 4962-0240 – fax: 4962-0728
martabul@satlink.com

Did not visit

LIBRERÍA ANTICUARIA EDGARDO HENSCHEL
Reconquista 533 - 1ºP - (1003) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Edgardo Henschel
Tel/fax:4314-4764
henschel@navigo.com.ar
www.buch-henschel.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 10,000 German books of which approximately 3000 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA ANTICUARIA L’AMATEUR
Esmeralda 882 - (1007) - Buenos Aires
Amateur S.A.C.I.
4312-7635
lamateur@arnet.com.ar

ILAB

LIBRERÍA DE ANTAÑO
Sánchez de Bustamante 1876 - (1425) • Buenos Aires
Sr. Alfredo Breitfeld
4822-7178 - fax: 4821-2532
info@antano.com.ar

ILAB

LIBRERÍA DEL SUBURBIO
Av. San Juan y Av. Boedo
Sra. Ana de Tkatch
4921-4760
libreriadelsuburbio@gmail.com

Did not visit

LIBRERÍA DEL PLATA
Guido 1927 PB “A” - (1119) - Buenos Aires
Sres. Ernesto y Ricardo Fullone.
4804-3288
libreriadelplata@gmail.com
www.libreriadelplata.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 1,000 antiquarian books

LIBRERÍA EL GLYPTODÓN
Ayacucho 734 - (1026) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Alejandro López Medus
4374-7973
libreriaelglyptodon@gmail.com
www.geocities.com/glyptodon_libros/

Shop: Estimated 10,000 books of which approximately 2,000 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA PLATERO
Talcahuano 485 - (1013) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Alberto Lacueva
4382-2215 - fax: 4382-3896
info@libreriaplatero.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 15,000 mainly used books with less than 500 antiquarian

L.O.L.A.
Viamonte 976 - 2D - (1053) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Colin Sharp
4322-3920 – fax: 4322-4577
csharp@ar.inter.net
www.lola-online.com

Did not visit

LORD BYRON
Gal. Las Victorias - Libertad 948 – Loc. 3A - (1012) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Eduardo A. Sosa
Tel/fax: 4811-0902
manuscritos@fibertel.com.ar
www.lordbyron.com.ar

Did not visit

LUIS FIGUEROA
Maipu 898 (1006)
Sr. Luis Figueroa
RE: 4314-0888
figueroaluisefren@hotmail.com

Shop: Estimated 2,000 books of which approximately 500 are antiquarian

MANOS ARTESANAS COMUNICACIONES
Uruguay 1368 - (1016) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Roberto Vega Andersen
4815-0248
info@manosart.com
www.manosart.com

Shop: Estimated 5,000 books of which approximately 3,000 are antiquarian
1364 books on abebooks.com / price range $10 -$12,000 US

MARTÍN CASARES
Florida – Pcia. de Buenos Aires
Sr. Martín Casares
4730- 4272 / 155-962-7992
martincasares@yahoo.com.ar

Did not visit

FERNÁNDEZ BLANCO
Tucumán 712 - (1049) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Lucio Fernando Aquilanti
4322-1010
fernandezblancolibros@gmail.com
Vice-President of ALADA

Shop: Estimated 20,000 books of which approximately 5000 are antiquarian

HELENA DE BUENOS AIRES
Esmeralda 874 - (1007) - Buenos Aires
Sra. Elena Padin Olinik
4311-1491
helenadebaires@hotmail.com
www.helenadebuenosaires.com.ar

Secretary of ALADA
Shop: Estimated 3,000 books of which approximately 2000 are antiquarian

IMAGO MUNDI
Arroyo 971 - (1007) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Daniel Guido Pastore
4322-3368
imundi@fibertel.com.ar
www.librería-imagomundi.com.ar

ILAB

JUAN ROLDÁN LIBROS ANTIGUOS
Avellaneda 674 - 5000 Cordoba
Sr. Juan Roldán
0351- 471-5556
roldanlibros@hotmail.com

Did not visit

LA LIBRERÍA DE ÁVILA
Alsina 500 - (1087) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Miguel Ávila
4343-3374
avila@servisur.com

Shop: Estimated 30,000 books of which approximately 1000 are antiquarian

LEONARDO LERNER, Librero anticuario
Av. Las Heras 2961 9 “29” (1425) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Leonardo Lerner
4802-3210
lernerbooks@hotmail.com

Did not visit

LEVY LIBROS
Galería Tonsa - Saturno 25 - 5500 - Mendoza
Sr. Carlos Levy
0261-155372906
carloslevy50@hotmail.com

Did not visit

LIBRERÍA EL VENTANAL
Av. de Mayo 769 PB. 7 - (1084) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Marcelo Di Luciano
4345-8800
elventanal@hotmail.com
www.libreriaelventanal.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 2,500 books of which approximately 250 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA HISTÓRICA EMILIO J. PERROT
Azcuénga 1846 - (1128) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Emilio José Perrot
4801-0257
info@libreriahistorica.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 15,000 books of which approximately 1,000 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA LEGENDA
Charcas 3279 - (1425) Buenos Aires
Sres. Antonio y Carlos Sánchez
4829-1419
librossanchez@hotmail.com

Shop: Estimated 2,000 books of which approximately 1,000 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA LOS SIETE PILARES
Florida 835 Loc.9 - (1005) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Héctor Delgado
4516-0150
info@7pilares.com.ar
www.7pilares.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 2,000 books of which approximately 500 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA MIREYA
Florida 835 - Loc 33B - (1005) Buenos Aires
Sra. Mireya D. de Pardo - Sr. Maximiliano Koch
4312-5535
kochmaximiliano@yahoo.com

Shop: Estimated 2,000 books of which approximately 500 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA PAMPEANA
Libertad 948, Loc. 11 y 15 - (1012) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Jorge Llobet Guerrero
4816-6057 – 155-347-6523

Shop (has three): Estimated 20,000 books of which approximately 5,000 are antiquarian

LIBRERÍA PATAGÓNICA
25 de Mayo 415 - (9200) - Esquel, Chubut
Sr. Roberto E. Müller
02945-452544
sucentral@speedy.com.ar

Did not visit

MS. LIBROS
Florida 835 Loc 33 A - (1005) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Martín Sandoval
4313-0508
mslibros@yahoo.com.ar
www.mslibros.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 2,000 books of which approximately 500 are antiquarian

POEMA 20 LIBRERÍA ANTICUARIA
Esmeralda 869 - (1007) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Diran Sirinian
4312-0199
dirans@fibertel.com.ar

Treasurer of ALADA
Shop: Estimated 5,000 books of which approximately 3,000 are antiquarian

RINCÓN DEL ANTICUARIO
Junín 1270 - (1113) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Nicolás Rossi - Sra. Ana M. de Rossi
4827-1666
rincondelanticuario@ciudad.com.ar

Shop: Estimated 10,000 books of which approximately 1,000 are antiquarian

TERRA NOVA ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS AND MAPS
Florida 835 - Local 14 - (1005) - Buenos Aires
Sres. Sebastián Hidalgo Solá y Juan Martínez
4005-0159 -
terra_nova_rare_books@hotmail.com
www.hsrarebooks.com

Did not visit

THE ANTIQUE BOOK SHOP
Libertad 1236 - (1012) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Gustavo Breitfeld
4815-0658- fax: 4821-2532
antique@netizen.com.ar

ILAB

TIENDA DE LIBROS
Av. Maipú 552 – (1602) – Vicente López
Sr. Sergio Di Falco
4795-5948
tiendadelibros@sinectis.com.ar

Did not visit

VÍCTOR AIZENMAN - Librero anticuario
Av. Las Heras 2153 PB. A - (1127) - Buenos Aires
Sr. Víctor Aizenman
4803-3666 - fax: 4803-2818
aizenman@fibertel.com.ar

ILAB

The article is published by permission of Eric Waschke. Thank you very much.