MOST ELEGANT! - The Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Grand Palais from 25th to 28th April 2013

From New York to Paris - two major events of the antiquarian book trade within two weeks: After the New York Antiquarian Book Fair closed it doors antiquarian booksellers and collectors head for Paris to visit the most elegant book fair of the bibliophile year. At the magnificent Grand Palais the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair assembles dealers and curators, who present a wealth of rare and original books, manuscripts, spectacular bindings, and incunabula, in short: the best that science, literature and the arts have to offer.

This exceptional event is a unique opportunity to become acquainted with the treasures of our written heritage presented by leading professionals. Visitors can meander along the traces of journeys taken by countless human minds over the course of centuries. From manuscripts to avant-garde, from a letter by François I to the drafts of Marcel Proust, from a 13th century psalm book to a futurist manifesto, amateurs will be able to browse the shelves of an immense bookshop, with thousands of stunningly diverse documents.

Save the date!

International Antiquarian Book Fair

Grand Palais, Paris

26th to 28th April 2013, 11 am to 8 pm

Opening night: 25th April 2013, 5 to 9 pm

As every year the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair is accompanied by exhibitions, presentations, guided tours, orchestra music and the award of the SLAM Bibliography Prize.

Guest of Honour 2013 - The Library of the National Natural History Museum

SLAM is proud to present the special collections of the National Natural History Museum as the Paris fair’s guest library of the year 2013.

When transforming the Jardin des Plantes, created by Louis XIII, into a natural history museum, it was endowed with a library, stipulating the composition of the initial collection: the books and scientific papers already in the King's Cabinet, the copies of the natural history books in the former Royal Library which had become the National Library and the natural history books originally obtained through confiscations of property belonging to the church, emigrants and convicted prisoners. The collection represented several tens of thousands of documents.

A number of considerable specialist collections grew up around the library, some of which also belong to the library of the National Natural History Museum today. Thanks to regular additions through donations and bequests, purchases, and transfers, the library now boasts almost two million documents of every kind: books, prints, maps, manuscripts, archives, photographs, drawings, medals, paintings, sculptures, scientific instruments and collectors' items along with modern online documentation and digitized works.

The library of the National Natural History Museum in 38, rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire (Paris) is open from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm. Internet access: www. http://mussi.mnhn.fr

Exhibition "Histoires naturelles"

During the 2013 edition of the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair the Department of Prints and Photography of the National Library of France presents a selection of precious and unusual works on the theme of the representation of plants and animals.

The natural sciences have always used graphic representations to convey knowledge of plants and animals. From the 15th to the 19th century, the publication of drawings and in particular their dissemination by means of engraving made it possible to clarify the characters presented in the texts, to standardise the scientists' descriptions and to increase the precision of the scientific and mental representations. In addition to their erudite nature, these images offer a representation typical of the vision of nature, both close to home and more exotic, held by mankind at that time. As the very best artists were called on to produce these images, they are often works of art in their own right.

Exhibition "Histoires naturelles" – Selection of the Exhibitors

Carefully selected by the exhibitors, a selection of natural history books and documents will be shown at stand i10-i12. Original watercoloured drawings, botany, horticulture, albums of birds, medical subjects, healing plants and rural life, natural sciences in travel books, wild animals and beautiful flowers can be discovered in French and foreign books on display at the Grand Palais.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Antiquarian Books but Never dared to Ask

Since 2009, booksellers who are members of SLAM welcome visitors at a special book fair booth where they answer questions vital for beginners in book collecting. The experts accompany the collectors in their first purchase and share their passion for rare books with them.

Presentation - Specialist Database for the Binding of the National Library of France

Fabienne Le Bars, curator of rare books collection at the National Library of France will introduce the new database for book bindings (reliures.bnf.fr) at the Grand Palais on Friday and Sunday from 3 to 3.30 pm.

Guided Tours

Guided tours will take place several times a day to explore the richness and diversity of the works offered for sale at the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair. Meeting point: Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 12 am and 5 pm at the book fair entrance.

Book Towns, Cities and Villages in France

Discover the book villages and their federation at the Grand Palais! The Federation of French Book Villages brings together the eight book villages which exist at present: Ambierle, Bécherel, Cuisery, Esquelbecq, Fontenoy-La-Joute, La-Charité-sur-Loire, Montmorillon and Montolieu.

Music

Classical concerts every day performed by the talented students of the Regional Conservatory in Boulogne-Billancourt and the Higher National Music Conservatory of Paris.

SLAM Bibliography Prize 2013

Every year, the SLAM awards a Bibliography Prize to a high-quality bibliographical work concerning antiquarian and modern books, literature, publishing, the illustration of works, bindings, libraries or book collecting recently published in French. The SLAM Bibliography Prize 2013 goes to: