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It's back! The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston’s beautiful Back Bay for its 42nd year, November 16-18, 2018.

Special events at this year’s event include documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman on the making of Ex Libris: The New York Public Library; political guru Michael Goldman on 1968: The Year of the Century; Sumio Yamazaki from the Kyoto Book Artists Society in discussion with Charles Vilnis on Japanese art books; Editor Peter K. Steinberg on Sylvia Plath; and the 17th annual Ticknor Society Roundtable panel discussion on starting a collection.

One of the oldest and most respected antiquarian book shows in the country, the Boston Book Fair offers a top selection of items available on the international literary market. Attendees have the unique chance to get a close look at rare and historic museum-quality items, offered by some of the most prestigious participants in the trade. Whether just browsing or buying, the Fair offers something for every taste and budget—books on art, politics, travel, gastronomy, and science to sport, natural history, literature, music, and children’s books—all appealing to a range of bibliophiles and browsers.

 

TICKETS

Admission is free on Saturday and Sunday! 

Friday night’s exclusive Opening Night event is ticketed ($20).

 

HOURS

Friday, November 16, 5:00-9:00pm 

Saturday, November 17, 12:00-7:00pm 

Sunday, November 18, 12:00-5:00pm

Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 

 

The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair is sponsored by the New England Chapter of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit the Boston Public Library and the American Antiquarian Society. Tickets are for sale at http://bostonbookfair.com/ and at the show’s box office during Friday evening show hours. 

 

SPECIAL EVENTS

Kyoto Book Artists Society
Sumio Yamazaki & Charles Vilnis
Saturday, November 17, 1:00 pm – Exhibit Hall Theater

--Learn about the world of Japanese art books with Sumio Yamazaki, one of Kyoto’s top dealers, in discussion with Boston Book Company Principal Charles Vilnis, an expert in the field of Japanese printing. Cultural and artistic continuities and departures will be explored.

 

Ticknor Society Roundtable: Starting a Collection
Ken Gloss, Luke Kennedy Kelly, Alexander M. Koch Saturday, November 17, 2:30 pm – Exhibit Hall Theater

--This year’s Ticknor Society’s Collectors Roundtable will discuss the best ways for new and young collectors to begin a book collection. The panel will feature Ken Gloss, proprietor of Boston’s iconic Brattle Book Shop; Luke Kelly, Harvard University student and award-winning book collector; and Alexander Koch, book collector and Maine Conservation Task Force member. Ticknor Society Board Member and former president, Chris Morgan will moderate.

 

The Making of Ex Libris: The New York Public Library with director Frederick Wiseman
Saturday, November 17, 4:00 pm – Exhibit Hall Theater

--In Ex Libris, famed director Frederick Wiseman, goes behind the scenes of one of the greatest institutions in the world, The New York Public Library, revealing it to be a place of cultural exchange, learning and community. With 92 locations through Manhattan and the boroughs, The New York Public Library affirms the deeply-held American belief that individuals have a right to know and be informed. Wiseman, arguably one of the greatest living documentary filmmakers, will discuss the making of Ex Libris and will be available for questions on this and other highlights of his brilliant career. 

Ex Libris will be show at the Boston Public Library at 12pm on Saturday, November 17. Tickets required...

 

1968: The Year of the Century
Michael Goldman
Sunday, November 18, 1:30 pm – Exhibit Hall Theater

--Political and cultural historian Michael Goldman has been collecting books on 1968 for decades, to the point where the local monthly publication The Improper Bostonian once opined that the two best places to relive the spirit of the late 1960s were Harvard Square and the book cases in Michael Goldman’s basement! For this presentation, Goldman will explain what it is about the year 1968 that continues to fascinate and frustrate those who remember it, as well as those who missed it, and also why many of its events, music, books, and films remains the focal point of so many in our culture right into 2018.

 

Sylvia Plath’s Letters & Traces
Peter K. Steinberg
Sunday, November 18, 3:00 pm – Exhibit Hall Theater

--Join Peter K. Steinberg for a discussion on the editorial role he served in the recently published two- volume Letters of Sylvia Plath (Faber, 2017; HarperCollins, 2018). He will discuss finding, transcribing, and annotating the more than 1,400 letters in the books. The talk will conclude with the discovery of two lost Plath poems on a piece of carbon typing paper. Steinberg maintains the oldest, continuously updated websites about Plath: (www.sylviaplath.info) and the Sylvia Plath Info Blog (http://sylviaplathinfo.blogspot.com).

 

Free Expert Appraisals!

Sunday, November 18, 1:00–3:00pm – Outside the exhibit hall main entrance
--Bring in your own books, maps, and ephemera and discover what they’re worth. Get free expert appraisals from the best in the industry. Learn about details that determine the value of your item and whether or not it would interest collectors and dealers. You might find you have a valuable treasure!

 

Discovery!

--The Boston Book Fair gives visitors the opportunity to see, learn about, and purchase the finest in rare and valuable books and ephemera. For attendees wanting to start a collection without breaking the bank, there will be dealers offering “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less, including a selection of children’s books and decorative cloth bindings. The Fair is an opportunity to learn tips on how to start a collection and talk to dealers who are experts in their chosen specialities.

 

FEATURED ITEMS

We'll be highlighting some of the breath-taking items ABAA members will be exhibiting at the fair over the coming weeks. Keep your eyes on our Facebook and Instagram accounts for those!

 

2018 Boston Book Fair

Learn more and buy tickets...

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