An Antiquarian Affair to Remember
Originally published in Time Out New York, April 27, 2005
Admit it: Spending a glorious spring Saturday afternoon indoors looking at old books sounds like a punishment. But there are a number of reasons why visiting the New York Antiquarian Book Fair (Fri 29 through Sun 1), now in its 45th year, should be on the top of your to-do list, even if you’re not a total bibliophile. As far as rare book fairs go, it doesn’t get better than this: Over 180 dealers from around the world are participating in this year’s Fair, which is considered to be the most prestigious in the world because of both the quality and quantity of material showcased and the sophisticated crowd it attracts. As it turns out, New York buyers are, according to the dealers, extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and serious about collecting. “The New York Fair in particular doesn’t get as many people wandering in,” says Massachusetts dealer Ken Lopez, who has participated in the Fair for the past 20 years, “but there’s a kind of buzz – the people who do come in know what they’re looking for and understand what they’re seeing.” But that shouldn’t deter first-timers from exploring and asking questions, for the Fair is as much about establishing relationships and meeting people as it is about making money. Though some anticipate bringing in six-figure sums, many of the transactions happen between the dealers themselves, who see the Fair as an opportunity to expand their inventories as well as their client base.
No matter what you’re into – travel, Judaica, architecture, feminism – the most valuable books, manuscripts, and ephemera on the subject will be on display and on sale at the Park Avenue Armory this weekend. “One of the beauties of book collecting,” explains Tom Congalton of New Jersey’s Between the Covers, “is that it encompasses everything. If you are interested in anything, there are books about it, and as a result, there are probably rare books about it as well.” Congalton’s advice: Give yourself plenty of time to wander and don’t be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of truly unique, museum-quality material. According to Seth Kaller, who specializes in historic documents, “something you see can end up in a private collection, never to be seen in public again. That possibility adds to the excitement.” So whether you read Henry James or Harry Potter (or just TONY), expect to be enthralled.
Featured Items:
Sylvia Plath’s first publication, A Winter Ship, inscribed by her and husband Ted Hughes to Plath’s mother, one of only 60 copies printed — $125,000 (R.A. Gekoski)
The Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln — $1,500,000 (Seth Kaller, Inc.)
First book to mention the word “baseball” and provide an illustration of the sport – $45,000 (Between the Covers)
First Hebrew books ever printed in Jerusalem – $5,000-$10,000 (Historicana)
First edition Graham Greene’s The Comedians, the dedication copy — $10,000 (Ken Lopez Bookseller)
First edition of Hart Crane’s The Bridge with photographs by Walker Evans, one of only 200 copies — $6,000 (Harper’s Books)