From Illuminated Manuscripts to Avant-Garde and Modern Book Art: The Paris Salon du Livre Rare opens tomorrow

Organised since 1984 by SLAM (Syndicat National de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne), the French antiquarian booksellers association, with the support of the French Ministry of Culture, the Salon is widely recognised as one of the premier international events in the rare book world.

Paris has forever been one of the great cultural capitals of the world, renowned for its deep and enduring inspiration for literature and art, for its tradition in writing, printing, and bookmaking, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The modern as well as the second-hand and antiquarian book trade thrives in the city, its many bookshops are a symbol of it. There is no other city which has stood the tests of time and modern age and still has so many wonderful and diverse bookshops to discover. A visit to Paris is always a joy for every book lover and the Paris Salon du Livre with its over 100 exhibitors from France and the rest of the world a real highlight each year.

Bringing together more than 100 exhibitors at Carreau du Temple in Paris' medieval neighbourhood, the Marais: antiquarian booksellers, gallerists, specialist publishers, bookbinders, and book artisans, the fair offers visitors a rich and diverse selection of rare and collectible materials. From illuminated manuscripts to cutting-edge avant-garde works, from incunabula to modern first editions, the Salon is an invitation to rediscover the breadth of human creativity through books, manuscripts, and visual culture.

All exhibitors are members of SLAM or affiliated to the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
View the exhibitors of the 2025 fair >> HERE

Guest of Honour 2025: The Alekos Fassianos Museum of Athens

Each year, a cultural institution is invited to contribute a special exhibition to the Salon. For the 2025 edition, the honour goes to the Alekos Fassianos Museum of Athens. The museum, housed in a distinctive building co-designed by architect Kyriakos Krokos and the artist himself, opened in 2023 and traces the evolution of Fassianos’s work from 1956 to his later years.

A celebrated painter, writer, poet, designer, and scenographer, Fassianos lived and worked in Paris for many years and collaborated with major French literary figures such as Apollinaire, Valéry, Cocteau, and Aragon. Despite this, no major retrospective of his work has yet been held in France. The Salon will offer a rare opportunity to discover the full scope of his artistic universe through original editions, letters, photographs, archival documents, and personal artefacts, many of them never or rarely exhibited before.
Some highlights of the exhibition can be seen below.

The fair embraces not only the past but also living traditions in the graphic and book arts. Publisher Yvon Lambert will present a special new release in collaboration with Spanish artist Miquel Barceló. The Salon will also feature art books by Lucio Fontana and a signed photographic essay by Man Ray.

Who doesn't love walking along the quais of the Seine, browsing at the second-hand stalls of the famous bouquinistes who have lined the river since the 16th century? It has turned many book lovers into book collectors, and the Salon offers those colleagues each year a dedicated exhibition space.

The Association Culturelle des Bouquinistes de Paris will again be represented; artist and bookseller Antoine Paris will transform this space into a live studio, drawing portraits of literary giants and showcasing collaborative works with Robert Combas, who will appear at the fair for a public signing on Sunday, 15 June at 3:30 PM.

Supporting the Next Generation

In a continued effort to nurture young collectors, the Salon will once again feature the Discovery Stand, where newcomers to bibliophily can find carefully selected rare books at modest prices.
The second edition of the Prix du Jeune Bibliophile (Young Bibliophile Prize) will also be awarded. Open to collectors aged 30 or younger as of 31 May 2025, the prize awards €1,000 in credit valid at all SLAM member bookstores. Collections will be judged by a panel of experienced booksellers and bibliophiles, with no restrictions on subject or market value, only the passion and coherence of the collection.

The 2024 prize was won by Pierre Florac for his collection the "Poetic Production of the Parisian Romantic Movement (1820–1840)"

With its irresistible charm, intellectual heritage, and vibrant artistic life, Paris continues to inspire writers, collectors, and creatives. It is only fitting that one of the world’s most prestigious fairs dedicated to rare books and graphic arts has found its home here, in the very heart of literary Europe.

Jean Cocteau once wrote: “A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.”

Enjoy walking Paris this June - bienvenue au Salon!

For all information, please visit the website: https://salondulivrerare.paris...