Syndicat National de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne

Salon International du Livre Ancien, Paris - 27th to 29th April, 2012

16 April 2012

From manuscripts to avant-garde, from medieval psalm books with magnificent illuminations to handwritten letters by artists and writers like Picasso and Marcel Proust, from the great works of the great philosophers and thinkers to futurist manifestos: At the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair bibliophiles will browse the shelves filled with thousands of stunningly diverse documents. Around 20.000 book fair visitors will enjoy the elegant venue of the Grand Palais and discover some of the most magnificent treasures from five centuries of book printing. When the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair opens its doors to visitors from 27th to 29th April, the fair will be accompanied by various concerts, exhibitions and events.

A tribute to the Ordre des avocats de Paris

This year, the Paris International Antiquarian Book Fair highlights a library which is unknown or little-known to book and print lovers, and to the general public: the Ordre des avocats de Paris. The collections of the Paris Bar are only rarely open to the public and one might be tempted to believe that they merely comprise legal works of interest only to legal experts.

However, visitors of the 2012 Paris Book Fair will soon discover the hidden treasures of the Paris Bar: Illuminated manuscripts next to incunabula and rare and precious books dating from the 15th century to the present day show the wealth and diversity of the Bibliothèque des avocats de Paris. An extensive collection of prints offers a chance to admire the numerous illustrations inspired by the law, ranging from allegories to caricatures. And autograph collectors will adore the manuscripts written by lawyers who pleaded the cases of such famous names as Marie-Antoinette, Emile Zola, Alfred Dreyfus, Madame Caillaux, or Marshal Pétain.

Booksellers' exhibition: Law - From Francois Villon to Georges Simenon

An exhibtion will show the booksellers' selection concerning the book fair theme of the year 2012: At stand E14-F13 visitors will find curious books and documents from the history of law, great literary and historical trials, condemned books, satires of the legal world, polemics surrounding law and prison, and many more.

"À table!"

The Fine Print and Photography Department of the French National Library presents a selection of precious works concerning table art.

From the introduction of the fork to the French court by Catherine de Médici to the the delicous meals which are the essence of French gastronomy recently honooured as a cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, thirty works from the rich collections of the Fine Print and Photography Department at the French National Library will showcase the art and joy of "the table".

Old prints will illustrate the classic iconography of the banquet in Biblical and historical episodes, such as the famous feast given by Louis XIII for the Chevaliers de l'Ordre du Saint Esprit in 1633, immortalised by Abraham Bosse. The exhibition will also offer the chance to explore the social aspect of table art and its traditions from Grignon's illustrations to caricatures of Rabelaisian culinary excess and voluptuousness. A beautiful collection of menus from the 19th and 20th centuries will also be on show.

Everything you always wanted to know about antiquarian books but never dared to ask

Antiquarian booksellers who are members of SLAM will welcome visitors throughout the entire fair at a stand entirely devoted to book collecting (West aisle, stand P9-P12.). They will answer any questions book fair visitors might have while accompanying them during their first purchases. The works presented at this book fair stand for beginners are selected by the exhibitors and include detailed descriptions to enable everyone to discover the joy of book collecting. Guided visits are organised several times a day, exploring the richness and diversity of the works presented at the fair.

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.

Bibliography Prize

Every year, the SLAM awards a Bibliography Prize to an outstanding bibliographical study on antiquarian and modern books, literature, publishing, book illustration bindings, libraries or book collecting in general. The 2012 prize will be awarded during the fair on Saturday April 28, 2012.