Bologna News II: Hungary - New ILAB Member

Emerging Markets - “The ILAB message is one that the World’s wants to hear”

More than 2000 dealers – in 33 countries – organized in 23 national associations – under one roof: The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers is the true global network uniting the leading experts of the rare book trade worldwide. At an Extraordinary General Meeting in Bologna (Italy) on Sunday, 19th September the ILAB was proud to present a new member: the Hungarian Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (Magyar Antikvariusok Egyesülete, MAE). Arnoud Gerits, Adrian Harrington and the presidents of the member associations gave MAE President Ádám Bősze a warm welcome. In his first speech Ádám Bősze said that the Hungarian rare book dealers wish to play “an active role” in the League:

“ILAB is not only a worldwide federation. The ideas promoted by the League are essential for the trade of the 21st century. We are happy to be a part of it.” Adrian Harrington was pleased to announce the new and 23rd ILAB member: “It seems that the ILAB message is one that the World’s wants to hear.”

Hungary is a country with a long tradition in culture, scholarship, arts, and printing - and a lively rare book dealer scene. The young generation opens up to the international market and shows more and more that Budapest – like Vienna – is a European city full of cultural highlights, with lots of antiquarian dealers offering high-quality books, autographs, prints, and manuscripts. Dealers like Zoltán Földvary or Ádám Bősze exhibit at international fairs, have multilingual websites and publish rare book catalogues covering the high-end of the trade. It is only natural that now the next step has been taken into the global community of the World’s leading antiquarian booksellers.

The Hungarian Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (MAE) was founded in 1992. In March 2010, Ádám Bősze was elected as President. He paved the way to the International League by setting up high international standards for the professional trade in his country and a website of the Hungarian Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (www.pannonbooks.hu, English and Hungarian). The site introduces the MAE members and their activities, provides rare book catalogues to download and information about upcoming auctions and exhibitions.

For young dealers in emerging countries the League is the most important gate into the global market”, says Norbert Donhofer (Vienna) who led the ILAB Committee through the negotiations with never ending energy and good advice. “In a market where thousands of dealers sell used books in the internet, our customers’ confidence can only be reassured by quality, expertise and adherence to the rules of the modern professional rare book trade. This is what all ILAB dealers stand for.”

>>> www.pannonbooks.hu - Magyar Antikváriusok Egyesülete (Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of Hungary)

>>> Rare Books in Hungary – An Interview with Zoltán Földvári and Norbert Donhofer, by Barbara Werner van Benthem