News & Updates Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America
Wish You Were Here! New York is where you want to be this coming week
Wish you were here!
The Grolier Club, America’s oldest society dedicated to the art and history of the book, is currently hosting a wonderful exhibition: Wish You Were Here: Guidebooks, Viewbooks, Photobooks, and Maps of New York City, 1807–1940. Running from March 6 to May 10, 2025, the exhibition, curated by Grolier Club member Mark D. Tomasko, showcases more than 130 items: guidebooks, photobooks, viewbooks, and maps, illustrating how New York evolved and was documented for visitors and residents alike. From early city guides to panoramic street views and iconic photobooks like Berenice Abbott’s Changing New York, this exhibition offers a captivating glimpse into the city’s past.
An accompanying catalogue provides an in-depth exploration of the materials on display, offering a striking narrative of New York City’s history, urban planning, and architecture as told through maps, guides, and more. A visual chronicle of the city’s transformation, Wish You Were Here highlights the evolving urban landscape through historical guidebooks, street panoramas, and photobooks, tracing the development of New York through contemporary media, from copperplate engravings and lithographs to woodcuts and photography.
65th Annual New York International Antiquarian Book Fair
A wonderful start to a week filled with bibliophile highlights when the antiquarian book world turns its attention to one of the major events of the year, just a few blocks away: the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair. Organized by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) and managed by Sanford L. Smith + Associates, the fair is celebrating its 65th edition this year. Held at the historic Park Avenue Armory, it gathers exhibitors from around the world, showcasing an astonishing array of rare books, manuscripts, maps, prints, photographs, and ephemera. Covering everything from literature and history to science, medicine, fashion, and gastronomy, the fair is a must-visit for collectors, scholars, and book lovers alike.
All exhibitors are listed >> HERE
Officially sanctioned by both the ABAA and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), consumers can rely upon the experience and professionalism of participating dealers and the authenticity of the items available for purchase. Simply stated, all books, manuscripts, and related material have been carefully examined for completeness and bibliographic accuracy.
With the Grolier Club’s exhibition offering a captivating journey through New York’s history via books and maps, the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair showcasing the finest rare materials from around the world, and a vibrant lineup of book-related events taking place across the city - New York is where you want to be this coming week!