Rare Book Monthly

Articles - November - 2021 Issue

Boston Book Fair goes virtual November 18-20

A sampling of items being offered at the ABAA's Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition

A sampling of items being offered at the ABAA's Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition

The ABAA invites bibliophiles everywhere to join the hunt for rare books and all manner of fine works on paper at the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America’s Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition. This will take place November 18-20, in lieu of the in-person Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. With the Fair online, everyone around the globe can attend the Boston Book Fair, one of the oldest and most respected antiquarian book shows in the U.S.! 

The ABAA Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edition opens at 12 p.m./EST on November 18 and will remain open continuously, 24 hours a day, until the event’s closing on November 20 at 8 p.m./EST. Admission is free. Visitors will be able to interact with book, map, autograph, and ephemera sellers in real-time directly from the virtual book fair platform. 

“As the leaves change in New England and the students return to Boston,” Nicole Reiss, Chair, ABAA Boston Book Fair Committee, invites exhibitors to, “join colleagues in another outstanding virtual fair event.” Both American and international exhibitors will offer a rich selection of manuscripts, unique ephemera, artist books, zines, as well as early American and European literature, modern first editions, children’s books, maps, autographs, photographs, and more. 

In recent years, at the book fairs, novice and younger collectors have been increasingly captivated by unique offerings at accessible price points. Continuing in this spirit, for attendees wanting to start a collection, there is something for everyone and dealers will offer “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less.

“The virtual book fairs have been an important way for booksellers and collectors to stay connected during this past year and a half of closures and canceled in-person events, and they have produced a number of unexpected benefits,” said Sheryl Jaeger, ABAA Vice President and Chair, Virtual Book Fair Committee. “Once again, we’re taking the opportunity to be together without leaving home, flying, or packing your wares. Customers can search the entire fair, quickly by product type, category, price, or keyword for those with special interests, or, if preferred, take a leisurely scroll through the aisles to visit exhibitors both new and familiar.”

Be sure to bookmark abaa.org/vbf to visit the fair at the opening and sign up for email alerts to receive updates about special programming and more. For more information, visit abaa.org/vbf or call 212.944.8291.

Founded in 1949, the ABAA is the oldest antiquarian booksellers trade association in the United States and upholds the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. The membership includes 450 sellers of books, prints, documents, maps, and ephemera across the U.S. 

Contact: 

Susan Benne, ABAA Executive Director 

212.944.8291 | hq@abaa.org

Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
    Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR

Article Search

Archived Articles

Ask Questions