50th NY Book Fair Successful
Last week’s 2010 New York Antiquarian Book Fair marked the 50th
anniversary of
what has grown to be the most important book fair in the world.
Sponsored by
the ABAA, the event brought together two hundred book dealers from all
over the
world to set up shop for the weekend in the Park Avenue Armory.
Hundreds of other rare book dealers and enthusiasts attended to browse
and buy. Among these patrons were well-known attorney Caroline Kennedy,
artist/activist Yoko Ono, Philharmonic conductor Alan Gilbert, and Manhattan
Borough President Scott Stringer. Morgan Library & Museum Director, William
M. Griswold, and members of the NYPL acquisitions committee were also spotted on
the show floor. Bookpatrol contributor Steve Gertz blogged, “On Saturday, I
often had to elbow my way down the aisles. The floor of the Park Avenue Armory
site of the fair was alive.”
Show organizer, Sanford Smith, noted a marked increase in sales this year. Much of the business that takes place at the fair occurs between exhibiting dealers, and in the past, millions of dollars have changed hands on the show floor before the fair even opened to the public. Last year very few exhibitors had the cash flow to engage in pre-show buying. Smith commented that this year pre-show sales were way above last year and almost to the level of two years ago.
Sales during the show were up as well. One dealer sold a book for $450,000. Another dealer sold at least 8 pieces whose combined sales totaled over half a million dollars. Smith saw one book check out for $20,000. He concludes that the market is improving.
“Even when the iPads are everywhere,” he says, “and publishers produce fewer print copies of books, there will always be a book fair. The books will only become rarer earlier than in the past.”
The 2011 Book Fair is scheduled for April 7 - 10 at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street, NYC.
“...There are a few things that provide hope that our civilization will endure--the New York Book Fair is one of them.” -Andy Rooney, CBS “60 Minutes”
Show organizer, Sanford Smith, noted a marked increase in sales this year. Much of the business that takes place at the fair occurs between exhibiting dealers, and in the past, millions of dollars have changed hands on the show floor before the fair even opened to the public. Last year very few exhibitors had the cash flow to engage in pre-show buying. Smith commented that this year pre-show sales were way above last year and almost to the level of two years ago.
Sales during the show were up as well. One dealer sold a book for $450,000. Another dealer sold at least 8 pieces whose combined sales totaled over half a million dollars. Smith saw one book check out for $20,000. He concludes that the market is improving.
“Even when the iPads are everywhere,” he says, “and publishers produce fewer print copies of books, there will always be a book fair. The books will only become rarer earlier than in the past.”
The 2011 Book Fair is scheduled for April 7 - 10 at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street, NYC.
“...There are a few things that provide hope that our civilization will endure--the New York Book Fair is one of them.” -Andy Rooney, CBS “60 Minutes”
