Olympia 2  Hammersmith Road,London W14 8UX

This year the Antiquarian Book Fair, Olympia (4-6 June) has expanded.  This year the oldest and most prestigious event of its kind, is full to capacity and has now spread into Downstairs at Olympia, offering the public over 160 international book dealers, specialist journals, Private Press, associations, services and complementary crafts such as book binding.

As always there is a plethora of manuscripts, incunabula, modern first editions, autograph letters, prints and vintage photographs not forgetting books on every conceivable subject with prices ranging from £50 to £500,000.  

As 2009 celebrates the 150^th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life and it is also 200 years since his birth, Darwin will undoubtedly be a major facet of the Fair.  In this ground-breaking work, which is generally regarded as the single most important book published in the 19th century and a turning point in the history of science as well as the history of ideas, Darwin explained his theory of evolution by natural selection, and Athena Rare Books from the US is bringing a first edition, first issue of 1859 ($110,000).

Amongst other highlights are two books completely fresh to the market and found in a builders’ skip in France!  Peter Harrington Rare Books is offering Morgante Maggiore by the Italian Renaissance poet Pulci; it belonged to Lord Byron, is annotated by him in pencil and was the catalyst for his unusual rhyme scheme and primary formal influence on his masterpiece Don Juan (£12,500).   The second ‘discovery’ is Il Pastor Fido by the Italian pastoral poet Guarini and this well-thumbed pocket edition is dated and signed by Byron’s friend and fellow Romantic poet Shelley (£7500).  

Other quintessentially English items include the first and only edition of Kitty’s Attalantis (1766), one of the most elusive of all the 18^th century ‘whore biographies’. The main body of the book is taken up with descriptions of the ladies and their qualifications, eg: ‘The prattling Miss Camb----; very pretty, and not less infamous.  I may venture to say, she has run through both universities, therefore her education must be admirable.  She is very agreeable in company, and sings what the Bucks call, a remarkable good song.  She may be safely depended upon, very fond of a country jaunt, and every night at the playhouse.‘ This amusing item can be found on the stand of John Price Antiquarian Books with a price tag of £10,500.  Paul Foster is showing an early 19^th century book of 81 hand coloured political caricatures by James Gillray (£8,500) and a manuscript album dated 1809/10/11 of the principal characters from Hogarth’s Rake’s Progress.  This unique item is drawn by Charles Armitage Brown, the portraitist and close friend of John Keats with whom he lived in Wentworth House in Hampstead, London.  They lodged together and Brown transcribed some of Keats’ poems claiming to have rescued Ode to a Nightingale (which Keats wrote in the garden in Hampstead) from oblivion.  He described Brown as ‘always one’s friend in a disaster,’ and on Keats’ death, Brown who was his executor, ensured that the phrase ‘Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water’ was put on the poet’s headstone excluding his name, just as he had requested.  The album of 64 extraordinarily skilful ink drawings from original engravings, is for sale for £15,000.

Maggs Bros is selling a collection of unknown letters from Louis Armstrong to an English friend and journalist, in which he writes of his love for his neighbourhood, an extraordinary evening at the famous Rainbow Room with Duke Ellington and in another, he describes the standing ovation he received at the Club Baron in Harlem, where Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davies were playing (£6,250).    Amongst the travel books on the stand of Bernard J Shapero Rare Books is Benjamin Townsend’s charmingly illustrated folio manuscript: A very Severe Journal of Remarkable and Interesting events of a voyage from New York to Canton, China. In the Black Grafton of Providence ... At Sea. 1846-1848. Although the main reason for the voyage was to trade for tea, this highly descriptive log not only details the weather, as one might expect, but also the numerous whaling excursions, descriptions of natives and the islands in the Malay Archipelago (£7,000).    A fascinating and newly discovered item at the Fair is the manuscript Journal of James Duke of York written between 1679-84 by his Secretary Sir John Werden, a diplomat and politician.  It covers the journey from London to Edinburgh of the Duke of York (who later became King James II and who had been exiled for the second time by his brother Charles II), during the Exclusion Crisis. The purpose of the trip was to assess the mood of the noblemen and people of England.  At the time of writing this well-worn little book, James Duke of York owned the New York Colony, New York, Manhattan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  The notebook book includes numerous meticulous pen and ink drawings, descriptions of military meetings, prayers, mathematics and algebra, recipes and even details of the Duke’s golfing expenses, ‘Bill for Goff balls and Stickes...’  This revealing little book, is on the stand of Richard Ford Ltd and Marrin’s Bookshop with a price tag of £100,000.  

Graham York Rare Books is offering a collection of what is probably the largest working reference library of books about Gypsies still in private hands, running to almost 500 volumes.  The collection reflects the previous owner’s interest in Asia and is particularly rich in linguistic research, tracing the origins of the Romany language in India through their movements in Eastern Europe, up to the present day in Britain and the United States (£30,000). 

Today’s world economic crisis makes Antiquariat Norbert Donhofer’s second edition of Adam Smith’s landmark Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, all the more relevant.  It has been said that ‘the certainty of its criticism and its grasp of human nature have made it the first and greatest classic of modern economic thought,’(€ 42,000).   Adam Smith spent ten years writing and perfecting of The Wealth of Nations; it was published in 1776 and was an immediate success, and was out of print within six months.  This second edition came out two years later, is scarcer than the first as only 500 copies were printed and it is also the only edition published in quarto format.   Those wanting a first edition of this major work, can find it with Peter Harrington Rare Books for £85,000.

Our Showcase Gallery:

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  From Paul Foster Books
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Thumbnail panels:

Downstairs at the Antiquarian Book Fair:

This year for the first time, the Antiquarian Book Fair (4th-6th June 2009) is to spread into the lower ground floor at Olympia. Press Release

More information for 2009:

A near-record number of exhibitors this century at The Antiquarian Book Fair which boasts ‘something for everyone’:

One hundred and fifty one leading international antiquarian booksellers are offering the ‘crème de la crème’ of what is on the market. ‘We have been bracing ourselves for a difficult year ahead, but so far we’ve been bowled over by the response to the Fair!’ said Adrian Harrington, Chairman of the Antiquarian Book Fair.

 No matter how obscure the subject there is bound to be a book about it from art, travel, gastronomy and science to sport, natural history, literature, fashion and children’s books   The Fair, which is the largest and most prestigious event of its kind in Europe and the oldest established book fair in the world, encompasses illuminated manuscripts, early printed books, prints, maps, atlases, letters, autographs, vintage photographs and modern first editions right up to Harry Potter.  This fair is the perfect place to browse, discuss, compare and buy; prices range from £50 to £500000.

 The Fair is organised by the august Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association, which means that all its members have been carefully vetted and that the public can buy with confidence.