ILAB Joins the Protest Against Amazon’s Bid to Control Top-Level Domain Names

Today, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers has joined the numerous other organizations, such as the Authors Guild or the American Association of Publishers, objecting to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN’s) plan to sell top-level domains to private companies.  Online retail giant Amazon has bid to be the exclusive custodian of .book, .author and .read domains. Read more ...

Paris 2014 - 41st ILAB Congress

The ILAB and SLAM committees are very pleased to announce that the 41st ILAB Congress will run in Paris from the 13th to 16th April, 2014, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of SLAM. The Paris Congress will immediately follow the International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Grand Palais scheduled from 10th to 13th of April 2014. We hope that the very special  program that we have planned will attract numerous visitors to Paris and we are looking forward to meeting our new colleagues and welcoming old friends.

Anne Lamort, President SLAM, Tom Congalton, President ILAB

ILAB Patrons of Honour

ILAB is very proud to present Sir David Attenborough, Barry Humphries, René Fayt, Michael Knoche, Reiner Speck, Jay and Jean Kislak and Sid Lapidus as Patrons of Honour:

"Their commitment to the preservation of printed culture makes them our clients, our audience, and our inspiration, and very often all three. The paths that they have followed and the collections that they have formed are likely to have an extraordinary influence on the understanding of human culture for future generations."

16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography

The 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography will be awarded in 2014 to one or more books about books published in any language and in any part of the world between 2009 and 2012. Publishers, librarians, collectors, antiquarian booksellers and all book lovers are very welcome to submit books to the prize until the end of April 2013 by sending a single copy to the Prize Secretary.

Support scholarship! Submit books to the most prestigious prize until April 2013!

The World’s Expert Antiquarian Booksellers - In 1 Book!

The new edition of the ILAB Directory contains all names, addresses and specialities of the ILAB dealers who are organized in 22 national associations and who are located in 32 countries all over the world. Have a look!

“Book collecting is and almost always has been a vibrant, exciting and engaging pastime"

"It’s our job to make others understand that.” An interview with ILAB President Tom Congalton about his career, his favourite books, Between the Covers, collecting, ILAB and the future of the trade. Read it!

ILAB Booksellers on Video

"A wonderful snapshot of the rich history of both the ABAA and the rare book trade" - ILAB is proud to present the video archive project by Michael Ginsberg and Taylor Bowie. Recently added: interviews with two amazing ladies: Marguerite Goldschmidt and Florence Shay.

"Out of the classroom and into the world" - ILAB Internships

ILAB has launched an internship program for young antiquarian book dealers. Alena Lavrenova, Anastasya Zhikhareva, and other young antiquarian booksellers from Russia, spent several weeks in Austria, Hungary, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and the United States. Read their exciting reports and join our new Facebook Group!

The World's Best Booksellers Met in Switzerland

From 22 to 26 September the presidents of 22 national antiquarian booksellers' associations and rare book dealers from all over the world met for their 40th Congress in Lucerne. Besides the meetings and elections on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, they climbed high mountains and dark caves and visited Switzerland's most outstanding museums and private collections. Read the online diary!

Old and Rare Books. From ILAB: the one stop FREE App for all lovers of rare books

The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB)  has launched an ILAB Moile App which is now available in the Apple Store and the Android Market. Search for “ILAB rare books” or “International League of Antiquarian Booksellers” to find the free App ready to install on your phone.

GlossaryGlossary terms

CataloguesBook Catalogues

Book FairsRare Books - Next Fairs

  • Masterpiece London

    27 Jun 2013 - 03 Jul 2013

    Masterpiece London

    Masterpiece London, perfectly situated at the peak of the capital’s summer season, brings together exhibitors from across the world renowned for specialising in art, antiques and design of...

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  • ILAB - LILA

    40th Australian Antiquarian Book Fair (ANZAAB)

    26 Jul 2013 - 28 Jul 2013

    40th Australian Antiquarian Book Fair (ANZAAB)

    The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers is proud to present its 40th Australian Antiquarian Book Fair, to be held from Friday July 26 to Sunday July 28 in the...

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EventsRare Books - Next EventsRSS

  • 10th "Reference Book" Workshop

    24 Aug 2013

    10th "Reference Book" Workshop

    Ever ask yourself to whom, or what, those booksellers refer with such citations as Wing...  Sabin...  Ahouse...  Gimbel...  Eckel... Wilkins...  American Imprints... ...

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BooksellersAntiquarian Booksellers

Rare Book Gallery

  • Candide, Ou L'Optimisme

    VOLTAIRE (Francois-Marie Arouet)

    Bookseller: Between The Covers

    Candide, Ou L'Optimisme
    (Geneva: No publisher) 1759. First edition, the true first printing preceding all others. 12mo. Text in French. Contemporary full mottled French... More

    Buy from:

    Price: 100000.00 USD

  • New Englands Prospect. A true lively, and experimentall description of that...

    WOOD, William (1580-1639)

    Bookseller: Donald Heald Rare Books

    New Englands Prospect. A true lively, and experimentall description of that part of America, commonly called New England: discovering the state of that Countrie, both as it stands to our new-come English Planters; and to the old Native Inhabitants. Laying downe that which may both enrich the knowledge of the mind-travelling Reader, or benefit the future Voyager
    London: Printed by Tho. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie, 1635. Small quarto. (7 1/16 x 5 1/2 inches). 1 folding woodcut and letterpress map. (Map close... More

    Buy from:

    Price: 75000.00 USD

  • ITINERARIO, VOYAGE OFTE SCHIPVAERT...NAER OOST OFTE PORTUGAELS...

    Linschoten, Jan Huygen van:

    Bookseller: William Reese Company - Americana

    ITINERARIO, VOYAGE OFTE SCHIPVAERT...NAER OOST OFTE PORTUGAELS INDIEN....[bound with:] REYS-GHESCHRIFT VANDE NAVIGATIEN DER PORTUGALOYSERS IN ORIENTEN....[bound with:] BESCHRIJVINGE VANDE GANTSCHE CUSTE VAN GUINEA, MANICONGO, ANGOLA, MONOMOTAPA, ENDE TEGE
    Amsterdam: Cornelis Claesz, 1596 - 1595 - 1596.. Three parts bound in one volume (parts two and three bound in reverse order in this copy). Text in... More

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    Price: 275000.00 USD

  • [MANUSCRIPT LETTER, SIGNED BY JOHN PAUL JONES, ORDERING A MEMBER OF THE...

    Jones, John Paul:

    Bookseller: William Reese Company - Americana

    [MANUSCRIPT LETTER, SIGNED BY JOHN PAUL JONES, ORDERING A MEMBER OF THE MARINES TO ATTEND A COURT MARTIAL ON BOARD HIS SHIP, THE BONHOMME RICHARD]
    On Board the Bonhomme Richard at L'Orient, France. June 14, 1779.. [1]p. manuscript letter on a folded folio sheet. Docketed on the fourth page and... More

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    Price: 75000.00 USD

All ArticlesRare Books - Articles

  • Bibliographies - Watermarks

    Online: Piccard Online - Watermarks in incunabula printed in the Low Countries (WILC) - Digital Catalogue of Watermarks and Type Ornaments Used by William Stansby in the Printing of The Workes of Beniamin Jonson (London: 1616)

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  • Books about Books: A History of Oak Knoll Press, Part 1: A Life-Changing Decision

    Books about Books: A History of Oak Knoll Press, Part 1: A Life-Changing Decision

    Thirty years ago I made the life-changing decision that I should try my hand in the world of publishing. Was I breaking new ground in the antiquarian bookselling business? Hardly!  Any of you who have read the history of bookselling know that the professions of bookseller and publisher have been intertwined for centuries with large out-of-print booksellers often having equally large publishing programs. This method of doing business has all but died out today. The following experiment in biography will tell you the story of how our company has tried to resurrect it.

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  • A Secret Archive: On the Mexican Suitcase

    For seven decades the negatives – known as “The Mexican Suitcase” – were considered lost. The photographs document the duration of the Spanish war, beginning with David Seymour's pictures of marching Republican dignitaries in April 1936, three months before the conflict broke out, and ending with Robert Capa's portraits of Republican refugees in concentration camps in Southern France in March 1939. Dan Kaufman tells the story of “The Mexican Suitcase” and describes the photographs hidden in it for such a long time.

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  • Young Dealers / Old Books - An Ideal Career, or: How to become a rare bookseller

    Young Dealers / Old Books - An Ideal Career, or: How to become a rare bookseller

    "Four months after my initial training from Heidi, I’m still making my way through the ins and outs of cataloging. What edition is this? Near fine or very good? When I mentioned the rating scale to my mom she answered with, “If I heard something was good I would not think it was trash,” but she would be wrong. I’ve learned to really get behind the treasure hunt; thrilled to find first editions that happen to have their dustwrapper in decent shape, the eternal heartache of the “book club edition.” Most of all I’ve learned to respect the medium through which great writers, such as Wilde, have presented their art to the world. Guess I have found myself back in the family business." Ashley Wildes, cataloguer at Between the Covers Rare Books, says: If you ever have the opportunity to become a rare bookseller, don't miss it!

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  • Historique du S.L.A.M. : Deuxième partie (1934-1957)

    Historique du S.L.A.M. : Deuxième partie (1934-1957)

    L’Assemblée Générale du 29 mai 1934 élit le premier président du SLAM à ne pas être un libraire parisien : Georges Puzin, installé à Versailles, rue de la Paroisse depuis 1908. Il est épaulé par MM. Quereuil (Vice-président), Dauthon (Secrétaire), Jacquenet (Trésorier) et Chadenat, Cornuau, Deruelle, Raoust, Leleu, H. Saffroy (Commissaires). Il apparaît d’emblée comme un homme de dialogue en faisant la déclaration suivante: ‘Il faut que nous nous connaissions mieux, que nous puissions échanger nos idées, nos projets, les discuter, voire même les combattre pour arriver à un échange de vues pratiques capable d'assurer la bonne continuité et la raison d'être du SLAM.’ L'histoire de l'S.L.A.M. par René Cluzel décrit les années 1934 à 1957.

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  • Collecting Rare Books and First Editions - The Man Behind the Beloved Freddy Series

    Collecting Rare Books and First Editions - The Man Behind the Beloved Freddy Series

    George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) is synonymous with talking animals, but Orwell wasn’t the first to populate a novel with anti-establishmentarian, anthropomorphic animals. Walter R Brooks created the beloved Freddy the Pig and his friends on Bean Farm almost two decades earlier. Though Brooks’ Freddy books aren’t as overtly political as Orwell’s work, they do depict animals overcoming corrupt authority. Brooks had a rich, varied literary career that included not only the Freddy novels, but also numerous short stories, editorials, and literary reviews

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