46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair

The 46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair is soon approaching. This great event is being held at the  Concourse Exhibition Center (635 8th Street in San Francisco) from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. on Friday, February 15; 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 16; and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 17.

Your humble blogger was given a media pass to attend this three day event. This will be my first ever book fair so I'm not exactly sure what to expect. The closest experience I've had was reading The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett and attending the  the San Diego Comic Con about ten years ago.

              I was recently given a list of 13 of the rarest books that will be at the convention. The two that I am dying to see are a first edition of The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith ($125,000) and an incredible set of first editions of all 85 Federalist Papers by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton ($382,000). 

For those that aren't History/Economics teachers you may find the autographed, hand written original manuscript from chapter 20 of a A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain ($79,000), original John Lenin sketches ($134,000), or a rare copy of Birds of America by John James Audubon ($32,000) more interesting. 



At those prices, of course, I'll just be looking. But we these items as the headliners, this should be a fun weekend of window shopping.
 

Three-day admission tickets are available online at www.cabookfair.com or at the door on Friday for $25.  Tickets purchased online or at the door for Saturday and Sunday are $15 each and allow return admission for the remainder to the fair. For more information about tickets or exhibiting, visit www.cabookfair.com.

For more information about tickets or exhibiting and access to pre-sale discount tickets, please visit the website at www.cabookfair.com or the ABAA website at www.abaa.org; or call (415) 962-2500, (800) 454-6401.

 

46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair

A CELEBRATION OF THE PRINTED WORD –
THE WORLD’S LARGEST RARE BOOK FAIR
RETURNS TO SAN FRANCISCO

46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair
February 15 – 17, 2013 at Concourse Exhibition Center Features
Thousands of Rare Books and Manuscripts from
Hundreds of Booksellers,
Plus Seminars and Events for Book Lovers

Special Exhibit from C. V. Starr East Asian Library of the
University of California, Berkeley

WHAT:        
46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair -- the world’s largest antiquarian book fair, offering something for book lovers and collectors of all stripes.  More than 200 booksellers from the United States and around the globe will share their collections and treasures including books, manuscripts, maps and other types of printed materials such as incunabula, fine bindings, children’s and illustrated books, ephemera and more.

WHEN:        
Friday, February 15, 2013, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 16, 2013, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday, February 17, 2013, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
 Special Exhibits and Discussions
Saturday, February 16:

Asian Exhibit from the C. V. Starr East Asian Library of the University of California, Berkeley – featuring Asian books, manuscripts and artifacts, including seminars and an extraordinary exhibit of materials created just for the Fair.

Nicholas Wilding – Noted Galileo expert Nicholas Wilding will give a presentation about his research into a recent spate of forgeries and theft emanating from the Girolamini Library in Naples.  His meticulous research and eye for detail helped lead to the arrest of the Library’s former director and to uncover a series of forgeries.

Sunday, February 17:

Book Collecting 101 – Learn from the experts how to create a strategy for collecting books, as well as how to spot a “first edition,” judge a book’s condition, and learn bookish terms and jargon.

What’s This Book Worth? – Experienced ABAA members will discuss the primary factors that give books commercial and monetary value, as well as strategies for appraising and selling books.

Discovery Day – This is the public’s chance to discover if those old books gathering dust are worth something.  The public will receive free appraisals on up to three books.

WHERE:        Concourse Exhibition Center
635 8th Street, San Francisco (Entrances at 7th and 8th Streets)

WHO:            Sponsored by the Northern California Chapter of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America

Featuring over 200 rare book dealers from the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America <http://ABAA.org>  and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers <http://ilab.org> .

TICKETS:   
Available at the door:
$25 for a three-day ticket, including Opening Day
$15 - for Saturday or Sunday (ticket allows re-entry all weekend)

EVENT INFO:Hotline: (415) 962-2500
Toll Free:  (800) 454-6401
Websites: www.cabookfair.com <http://www.cabookfair.com> , www.abaa.org