This article was first published on the blog of the German trade publication "Aus dem Antiquariat" and discusses the new international shipping requirements by Deutsche Post, the German postal service. For an English translation and summary, please contact the ILAB office.
Playwrights and Philanthropy …. Shakespeare’s Globe becomes 2019 Charity Partner for Firsts - London’s Rare Book Fair and the world’s largest independent marketplace for rare and out-of-print books - Biblio - joins as the new Official Partner.
The 52nd California Book Fair will open its doors today. Over 200 international and US booksellers will be present at this major event of the rare book trade.
On March 5th, 2019, ILAB brought together a range of experts and scholars from the antiquarian book trade, libraries and surrounding businesses to inform and give advice on the issues of provenance, forgery and theft.
From the Wonderful to the Weird – The 52nd California International Antiquarian Book Fair brings thousands of books, manuscripts and other treasures and collections to Oakland
As 2018 came to an end, the BBC featured a rising trend in collecting antiquarian material and how the internet has changed the trade. "The rise of online has helped revive the second-hand book market, but what impact has it had on traditional, second-hand book shops?"
After the Pasadena book fair in February this year I enjoyed a scenic drive up the Pacific Highway to Seattle, where I met up with the local dealers who invited me to come exhibit at the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair in October. I thought that sounded like fun, so jumped back on the QF93 to attend my first book fair in the Pacific Northwest.
Cominciamo con l'affermare che anche il manoscritto è un libro, seppur prodotto con una tecnica diversa da quelle oggi più note (la scrittura manuale, che rende gli esemplari, anche se prodotti in serie, copie uniche), ma con una fisicità del tutto simile a quella del libro tipografico: forma, materiali e, in parte, paratesto, e premettiamo che non ci occupiamo se non di sfuggita del "supporto" fisico, che poi è la carta, senza la quale mai il libro sarebbe diventato un prodotto industriale (o proto-industriale), e che ha una sua, importante, storia, che in Europa comincia a partire circa dal XIII secolo. Quando apparve il primo libro a stampa, quasi nessuno capì la rivoluzionaria novità: esso infatti si rivolgeva allo stesso pubblico del manoscritto e si presentava allo stesso modo.
40th ILAB Congress in Lucerne - September 22nd - 26th 2012
The Swiss Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (VEBUKU/SLACES) and its president Alain Moirandat hosted the 40th ILAB Congress in Lucerne from September 22nd to 26th, 2012. From the beginning the Swiss antiquarian booksellers have been strongly affiliated to the League. The first ILAB President, William S. Kundig, came from Switzerland. The 5th ILAB Congress was held in Geneva in 1952, the 15th ILAB Congress took place in Basle in 1962, while the ILAB members enjoyed the 25th ILAB Congress and 8th International Antiquarian Book Fair in Zurich in 1978. 34 years later, the ILAB antiquarian booksellers from 32 countries all over the world returned to Switzerland for another important international conference with an exciting programme highlighting the variety of Swiss art, architecture and culture, folklore and industrial history. The 40th ILAB Congress was followed by the 24th International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Zurich Convention Centre next to the Lake Zurich and the Zurich Fine Art Fair which took place at the same time. Both events attracted lots of art lovers and bibliophiles. For one week they changed Zurich into the international market place for everything rare, extravagant and beautiful.
I naturally like to regale the family over the supper table with all the latest news from the world of rare books. The family are slightly ambivalent about this: stifled yawns sometimes remain unstifled; eyes are exaggeratedly rolled; fathomless stupefactions of chronic boredom are elaborately mimed, and silent departures from the table to go and have a lie down are by no means unknown. Imagine then my surprise, my triumph, when I announced the concept of Pop-Up Bookfairs – and not just one or two, but a worldwide rolling twenty-four hour programme to celebrate a World Rare Book Day – fairs popping up all over the place, time-zone by time-zone, on a single day – right across the globe and all backed-up by the full might of social media. Tweet-pop, tweet-pop, from Australia to L.A. and beyond. Pictures, videos and reports on the web, YouTube, Instagram and wherever else anyone can think of. "That's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant", said Daughter No. 1. "Oh, you are soooo twenty-first century", said Daughter No. 2. "We've got a trestle table", said my dear wife, fondly imagining that the number of books in the house might actually decrease if I popped out for a pop-up. Incredible. I had managed to hold their attention for – oh – thirty or forty seconds. Well, twenty anyway.
ABA Press Release: In its 55th year, the London International Antiquarian Book Fair achieved excellent sales figures – up by 22% to £3.85 million, which given the current economic climate, has surpassed expectations. For the first time, the Fair took place in the National Exhibition Hall of Olympia, West London, from Thursday, May 24 and ran until Saturday, May 26, 2012. Just under 500 visitors – many who had queued to come in - came through the doors in the first 40 minutes of the Fair which comprised of 185 exhibitors* from 17 countries.
Finally I've taken the plunge. Many months ago, I ended my association with abebooks.com. Just before Christmas I withdrew from the Australian bookselling site booksandcollectibles.com.au. And in January this year I summoned my son John to rejig my website, so that it would no longer be possible to browse or order any of my stock online. And he did. Which means that I am no longer an internet bookseller. It's over, finished, done with. And I am delighted. I can't help wishing that I'd taken the plunge years ago. But to everything there is a season – and a reason.
