London International Antiquarian Book Fair, 28th to 30th May 2015
Hold History in Your Hands
From May 28th to 30th the halls of Olympia will once again present an unparalleled array of literary material at the London International Antiquarian Book Fair. Now in its 58th year, this major three-day event is one of the largest and most prestigious antiquarian book fairs in the world, showcasing rare, unique and unusual items from 180 leading UK and international dealers. From medieval manuscripts to modern signed first editions, visitors hold history in their hands as they view and buy museum-quality books, maps, prints, photographs, manuscripts, letters, ephemera and original artwork. With prices ranging from a few pounds to many, thousands there is something for everyone here.
‘My name’s Bond, James Bond’… Aficionados of the lothario agent might be shaken, though presumably not stirred, by stunning first editions of Fleming’s bestsellers.
Whilst the rock fan could buy a draft script for the 1975 British film of the Who’s Tommy, which belonged to Alan Smith, a road crew member for The Who in the 1970s.
Based on the 1969 rock opera written by The Who, about a deaf, dumb, and blind kid who sure played a mean pinball, it was directed by Ken Russell and starred an array of famous names: from Elton John and Roger Daltrey to Jack Nicholson and Ann-Margret.
The keen gardener could be tempted by a copy of Edward Aveno Brooke’s famous colour-plate book: The Gardens of England; an exquisite and important pictorial record of garden design in the mid-19th century. At the core of the book are the beautiful series of images taken from Brooke's original watercolours. The impending publication was announced by the publisher in February 1857, but according to the preface the work: "was the result of years of labour ... Thus, Mr. Brooke has spent several summers in undivided attention to the views contained in this volume. Not satisfied with first or second studies, he has made repeated visits to each locality, and is enabled, therefore, to offer drawings which are correct and faithful in all their details." And very lovely they are too.
And finally the inveterate traveller might acquire this charming and rare original Terrestrial Betts Umbrella Globe, complete with its original wood case, though access to Google maps might be advisable; its cartographic elements are as intriguing as its unprecedented design: several now obsolete place names are used; colonial possessions are indicated; and the Antarctic regions remain virtually uncharted!
Live! Masters
A new series of one-day book arts demonstrations will attract lots of visitors. Be sure to visit stand L07 each day to see a different artist at work:
Thursday: Margaret Costa
Friday: Paul Antonio
Saturday: Stuart Brockman
Live!
The LIVE! area at Olympia is devoted to book-related crafts and services including bookbinding, calligraphy and design. Experts will be giving fascinating demonstrations and discussing their areas of expertise every day at LIVE!, the heart of the Fair.
Binding a limited edition book (Mark Cockram - Studio 5 Book Arts)
Participants will be provided with a small limited edition letterpress text incorporating an illustration designed especially for the Olympia Book Fair, and will bind it in cloth and unique decorated papers.
Mini Studio 5 (Mark Cockram - Studio 5 Book Arts)
Drop by anytime during the Fair to watch Mark Cockram making books using a variety of common and unusual materials.
Letterpress hand setting (St. Bride Library)
Hand compose a name with metal type, drop it into a form, and print it on a galley press.
Printing on an Adana Press (St. Bride Library)
Printing a pre-set commemorative bookmark.
Decorating an open face letter (St. Bride Library)
Provided with a printed template, design your own large decorative letter likes the ones seen in historical books.
Wood engraving and lino cutting (St. Bride Library)
A demonstration of both techniques: cut and print a small linocut of your own.
Decorative onlays by Annette Friedrich (Designer Bookbinders)
Leather onlay is a traditional decorative technique with broad potential to create very modern designs. A variety of onlay techniques, from preparation to application, will be demonstrated.
Page edge decoration (Designer Bookbinders)
Book edges can be decorated in many ways. Historically, this had many different purposes, from protection to preventing forgery. Come and watch bookbinders demonstrate both traditional and modern edge decorating.
Page edge decoration workshop (Designer Bookbinders)
Try out a variety of edge decoration techniques and learn how to decorate the edges of books and notebooks.
Walking tour with a bookbinder (Designer Bookbinders)
Saturday, 1.30 pm. Please sign-up at the ABA Press Desk.
Handcraft an original notebook (Designer Bookbinders)
Come and make your first handmade notebook. All day Saturday.
From calligraphy to a relief printed book with Andy Moore (Old Stile Press)
Andy Moore’s recent edition of John Keats’ poem A Song About Myself was hand-written and then transferred to photopolymer plates to be printed in two colours at the Old Stile Press. This demonstration will give an idea of how it was done.
Create your own miniature book (Old Stile Press)
Make your own miniature book like those produced at the Old Stile Press. Start with a large piece of paper that you measure, fold, and cut, then sew it together and add a cover.
Designing a repeating pattern for covers and endpapers (Old Stile Press)
Learn how a design can be multiplied to create a repeating pattern, with examples drawn from a collection of twenty printed papers by Robin Tanner, Angela Lemaire, and other designers.
Monotype printing (Linda Landers)
Demonstration of monotype printing, which can be used to create extremely detailed and sophisticated imagery using line and colour in expressive and immediate ways.
London International Antiquarian Book Fair 2015
The London International Antiquarian Book Fair takes place at National Hall, Olympia, from Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th May, showcasing thousands of rare, unusual and unique items from across the globe.
Opening hours:
Thursday 2 pm – 8 pm
Friday 11 am – 7 pm
Saturday 11 am – 5 pm
The pictures show highlights of the London International Antiquarian Book Fair. Click here to see more or to already buy books before the fair opens!
For more information, please visit the offical website www.olympiabookfair.com
