Book Fairs | September 22, 2010

39th Annual ILAB Conference

Bologna, Italy - World Capital of the Book - 39th ILAB Congress and 23rd International Antiquarian Book Fair from 20th to 26th September, 2010, in Bologna (Italy)

There are thousands of booksellers in the internet - fewer than 2000 are of a high enough standard to be ILAB dealers. Knowledge, expertise, many years of experience, and a high quality stock of rare books are essential to be an ILAB bookseller. The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers unites the world’s leading experts from 33 countries and 23 national associations under one roof - a global network of the rare book trade in the 21st century.

From 20th to 26th September more than 200 ILAB affiliates from all over Europe, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan and China meet in Bologna (Italy) for their 39th Congress; more than 125 expert dealers show the best of the trade at the 23rd International Antiquarian Book Fair held at the beautiful Palazzo di Re Enzo (Bologna), among them Alberto Govi, L’Arengario and Libreria Antiquaria Pregliasco (Italy), Librairie Chamonal, Librairie Monsieur Le Prince and Librairie Thomas-Scheler (France), Peter Harrington, Bernard Shapero and Sims Reed(Great Britain), Librería Anticuaria Comellas (Spain), Buddenbrooks and Martayan Lan (USA), Antiquariaat Junk and A. Gerits & Son (Netherlands), August Laube (Switzerland), Norbert Donhofer (Austria), and F. Neidhardt (Germany).

A heaven for bibliophiles - the exquisite offers of the ILAB dealers represent the widest range of collectors’ interests: Rare incunabula like Dante’s "La Commedia“ (Venice 1491) or Colonna’s “Hypnerotomachia polihili” (Venice 1499) can be found in the showcases next to a spectacular autograph collection that depicts the history of the Italian Famiglia Farneses in letters, manuscripts and historical documents dated 1539 to 1729. Precious bindings attract the collectors together with beautifully illustrated books like Gallesio’s “Pomona Italiana” (Pisa 1817) or Fossati’s “Raccolta di varie Favole” (Venice 1744), modern art and illustrated books or a magnificent Buddhist painted manuscript from Burma.

The Italian Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (ALAI) and its President Umberto Pregliasco are proud to unite the most important rare book dealers, collectors and experts from all over the world to a week full of cultural highlights. For one week Bologna - home of the world’s oldest university - becomes the world’s capital of the book with its magnificent historic sites and bibliophile treasures, with visits to all the important libraries and collections of the Emilia Romagna region (Bologna, Ravenna, Cesena, Modena, Parma, Ferrara), with concerts and lectures, with a Rare Book Film Festival at the prestigious Cineteca di Bologna, a football match “Italy vs Rest of the (ILAB) World” and an International Antiquarian Book Fair integrated in the Artelibro Festival - Italy’s famous Art Book Festival which takes place for the 7th time and at the same time as the ILAB Congress and Fair.

Special highlight, Umberto Eco: The ILAB Congress and the opening of the International Antiquarian Book Fair will be celebrated with a Lectio magistralis “The Vertigo of the List” by Umberto Eco on Friday evening at the Aula Magna di Santa Lucia (Bologna).

ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography: At the Gala Dinner on Saturday evening the 15th ILAB Breslauer Prize will be officially awarded to Lotte Hellinga and Jan Storm van Leeuwen for their outstanding works on bibliophily. It is one of the most prestigious prizes worldwide.

Rare Book Film Festival: “When booksellers and libraries play a leading role on the screen”: 84 Charing Cross Road, The Ninth Gate and others. On the occasion of the ILAB International Antiquarian Book Fair and the Artelibro Festival the Bologna Bibliofilm Library presents a “bibliofilm” with famous scenes in which rare books, booksellers and libraries are the protagonists.

23rd International Antiquarian Book Fair - Palazzo di Re Enzo, Bologna, September, 24th to 26th, 2010, open Friday: 10.30 am to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday: 10 am to 7 pm. The Book Fair Catalogue is available online together with an exhibitors’ list and a floor plan:

http://www.artelibro.it/gli-espositori/espositori/

More information on www.ilab.org // www.alai.it // www.ilabprize.org

c/o NECKER, CHRIST, GREGORC & de CANDOLLE, Notaires - Rue Toepffer 5 - Case postale 499
CH- 1211 GENEVE 12 - SUISSE
www.ILAB.org
#