Booksellers' Showcase and RBMS Preconference a Success
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The ABN E WSLETTEA AR VOLUME EIGHTEEN, NUMBER 3 ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLERS' ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SUMMER 2007 INSIDE: The Benefits of Collecting Law Books, an Interview................................PAGE 3 An American in London, Part II by Gordon Hollis & Kate Fultz Hollis In November 2006 I wrote an article about exhibiting at Londonʼs ABA Chel- sea Book fair. Feeling that the market for books was healthy in England, I decided to exhibit at the London Book fair this June 7 though June 9. Here is a review for ABAA members of our experience at Olympia. The London Antiquarian Book Fair, Olympia 2007, is one of the ILABʼs most important book fairs, bringing together important dealers from England, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Neth- erlands, Italy, Sweden, and also those photo credit: John Crichton from Argentina, and South Africa. Only Member Fran Durako of the Kelmscott Book Shop (left) exhibits at the nine American firms exhibited, a reduced Booksellers' Showcase held in Edinburgh Hall of the Tremont Grand Hotel during number which reflects the current prob- the RBMS preconference. lems we have with our European export and import marketplace. The emphasis at the London Book Booksellers' Showcase and RBMS Fair was on 19th & 20th century books and fine bindings, as it is industry wide, Preconference a Success with an added deep representation of travel, English literature, and historic by Sarah Baldwin Chapter, had set up their booths. The first editions. Not surprisingly, there were The 48th Annual RBMS Preconference showcase, complete with signs for each numerous modern first edition dealers in Baltimore dawned early Tuesday, June exhibitor displaying the ABAA and ILAB but fewer than in past years. There were a 19th. Entirely too early for me since I logos, was in place. But would librarians few pure antiquarians to be found, includ- had to be at the Edinburgh Hall at 6am, attending the Preconference come? The ing the hardy Jeff Mancevice, (but not prior to the arrival of those participating showcase shared quarters with Precon- Chris Sokol nor Hosea Baskin) and great in the Southeast Chapterʼs Booksellersʼ ference registration so it would be easy firms like Quaritch and Maggs brought a Showcase. John Hellebrand of Palinurus for attendees to register and then spend bit of everything wonderful. There was appeared within minutes and so did Bill time looking. It worked. Librarians from also a noticeable presence of decorative Stewart of Vamp & Tramp. By 9am 24 Cornell, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, the print sellers including Grosvenor and booksellers, from California, Massachu- Library of Congress, the Lilly, University Quadrille. setts, Michigan, New York and Penn- of Michigan, University of California Visitors to Londonʼs book fair are of sylvania, as well as from the Southeast continued on page 5 continued on page 6 Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair November 16-18, 2007 ILAB Book Fairs 2007 September 7-9 Oslo, Norway Håndverkeren Kurs og The 2007 Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, one of the Konferensesenter oldest and most respected antiquarian book shows in the country, celebrates more than thirty years, from November 16-18, 2007 at September 14-16 Boston’s Hynes Convention Center. Rare booksellers and deal- Brussels, Belgium ers will gather to exhibit and sell rare, collectible, and antiquarian books, modern first editions, manuscripts, autographs, maps, and Centre for Fine Arts a plethora of other literary ephemera. Dealers of fine and decora- tive prints will feature fine prints and drawings. September 28-30 Sydney, AUS (ANZAAB) Hours Friday 5pm-9pm The State Library of New Saturday noon-7pm South Wales Sunday noon-5pm October 25-27 Tickets Amsterdam, The Netherlands Friday: $15 (good for three days) (NVvA) Saturday, Sunday: $8 each day Passenger Terminal For more info, visit bostonbookfair.com or call (617) 266-6540. November 2 & 3 London, UK (ABA) This Issue's Contributors Old Chelsea Town Hall Sarah Baldwin is the proprietor of E. Wharton & Co. and serves on the ABAA's Board in many capacities. She is the Secretary of the Association and serves as November 16-18 the Chair of several committees including the RBMS Committee. Boston, MA (ABAA) John Crichton is the propietor of the Brick Row Book Shop. As recent past Hynes Convention Center President of the Association, John also serves as the Trustee of the Benevolent Fund. 2008 Gordon Hollis was the Chair of the Southern California Chapter and proprietor of Golden Legend. His wife Kate is a Senior Researcher at the UCLA Geffen February 15-17 School of Medicine. Los Angeles, CA (ABAA) Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Rob Rulon-Miller was Newsletter Editor for many years and deals in rare, fine, and interesting books in many fields. Correction The Editor made a grammatical error in Bruce Barnett's cover story in the Spring For a calendar including non-ILAB book issue. The title should have read: So You Think You're an Appraiser! How the fairs, visit www.abaa.org New Rules Affect You. 2 A Conversation with Michael von der Linn of The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. Reprinted with permission from A Legal ians under military law from the time of the firm that evolved into Cadwalader, Miscellanea, the newsletter of the of the American Civil War had purely Wickersham, and Taft. Organizing this Friends of the Jacob Burns Law Library historical interest. But it is timely today archive was quite a challenge; of The George Washington University, in debates about civil liberties and enemy • A printing of the Liber Sextus De- Washington, DC. With thanks to Jennie combatants in the Global War on Ter- cretalium (a book of the Corpus Juris Meade. ror. Ultimately, old books are important Canonici) from 1485. This was the first because they contain information that incunable I handled. The experience felt Blending erudition and a connoisseurʼs may be important in the future. Collect- like a rite of passage; eye with a keen understanding of the ing them preserves a body of knowledge • A copy of Darrowʼs Farmington antiquarian book trade, Michael von der that is more vulnerable than most people inscribed to Anita Loos (Emerson),the Linn is one of the bookselling profes- assume, despite the existence of reprint author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes sionʼs most accomplished members. programs and electronic media. (1925). I loved its inscription: “To Anita As Manager of the Antiquarian Book Loos Emerson/with the best wishes of Department at The Lawbook Exchange, Why is reprinting classic legal texts her/friend/Clarence Darrow/Detroit/May Ltd., which specializes in all aspects of important? 1st-1926/It may be that gentlemen prefer/ law and legal history, Michaelʼs many It is remarkable how many important blondes but I Don’t-/C.S.D.” responsibilities include describing books books have never been reprinted and for sale, composing the catalogues in are scarce today. As sellers of old and How do you find books to sell? which they appear, finding books for rare books we are keenly aware of this Our inventory comes from a variety of resale, and choosing titles for reprinting. situation. In many cases our reprints sources. The most important are local Michael graciously agreed to share with have original introductions or additional and international auctions, offers from us his thoughts on the art and business of information, such as a reprint of a related individuals, and offers from book dealers. handling rare law books. text. To return to the previous question, We also work with book scouts. They do we hope our reprints will preserve legal a wonderful job of finding titles in dusty A Legal Miscellanea: Tell us how you history, enhance scholarship, and enrich provincial bookshops, antique shops, and approach the process of describing a rare debate. other places that are not involved with the book. internet or the mainstream book world. Michael von der Linn: It is necessary to How do you determine what to reprint? We even find items occasionally on eBay. strike a balance between scholarship and We look for historic and unjustly forgot- salesmanship when describing an itemʼs ten titles that are difficult to find. Our in- What methods do you use for appraising physical condition. Above all, I must be terests, awareness of current affairs, and books? sure that it is authentic and complete, and knowledge of the field guides us in most Online bookselling sites like the Ad- to account for any modifications it may cases, but many projects are initiated by vanced Book Exchange (ABE) and have acquired over time. I also need to suggestions. We actively solicit reprint greater public participation in auctions describe its condition accurately. Since I requests at conferences and through our has created an unprecedented degree need someone to buy it, I am compelled website. Several projects have resulted of transparency in the antiquarian book to choose my words carefully. As a rule, from suggestions. market. In the past a bookʼs price was I am critical when I describe an item so a determined by the booksellerʼs sense of buyer will be pleasantly surprised when it What are some examples of exceptional the market, scarcity, and intrinsic value. is a better-looking book than expected. works you have handled? (The main sources of information were Some items I have enjoyed working with book fairs, auctions, and data collected in Why are rare law books important? are first editions of Bracton, Cowellʼs such publications as the National Union Antiquarian law books are not interesting Interpreter, and Storyʼs Commentaries on Catalogue (NUC),The AB Bookmanʼs just because they are old. They are inter- the Constitution. I have especially fond Weekly, and American Book Prices Cur- esting because they enable us to trace the memories of the following: rent.) As one would expect, this situation lawʼs development and preserve informa- changed dramatically with the advent of tion that might be forgotten otherwise.