October 8, 2012

Early Details on the 46th CA International Antiquarian Book Fair

SAN FRANCISCO — In the annual celebration of the printed word, the 46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair returns to San Francisco on Friday, February 15, through Sunday, February 17, 2013 at the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco. 

Sponsored by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the three-day event is the world’s largest antiquarian book fair, offering something for book lovers and collectors of all stripes.  More than 200 booksellers from the United States and around the globe will share their collections and treasures including books, manuscripts, maps and other types of printed materials such as incunabula, fine bindings, children’s and illustrated books, ephemera and more.  Fascinating antiquarian books covering all types of subjects, such as law, architecture, cookery, history, science, politics and many more will be available to peruse and purchase.
This year’s Book Fair will include a special focus on Asian books, manuscripts and artifacts, including seminars and an extraordinary exhibit of materials created just for the Fair.  The Asian exhibit will offer a sampling of Chinese, Japanese and Korean imprints, manuscripts, graphics and objects dating from the eighth century into the twentieth from the rare book room of the C. V. Starr East Asian Library of the University of California, Berkeley - the second largest academic collection of East Asian materials in North America. 

The Book Fair’s schedule will also include the following:

Saturday, February 16:

Nicholas Wilding - Noted Galileo expert Nicholas Wilding will give a presentation about his research into a recent spate of forgeries and theft emanating from the Girolamini Library in Naples.  His meticulous research and eye for detail helped lead to the arrest of the Library’s former director and to uncover a series of forgeries. 

Sunday, February 17:

Book Collecting 101 - Learn from the experts how to create a strategy for collecting books, as well as how to spot a “first edition,” judge a book’s condition, and learn bookish terms and jargon.  

What’s This Book Worth? - Experienced ABAA members will discuss the primary factors that give books commercial and monetary value, as well as strategies for appraising and selling books.

Discovery Day - This is the public’s chance to discover if those old books gathering dust are worth something.  The public will receive free, expert oral appraisals on up to three books.

Tickets and Information

The 46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair will be held at the Concourse Exhibition Center (635 8th Street in San Francisco) from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. on Friday, February 15; 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 16; and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 17.

Three-day admission tickets are available at the door on Friday for $25.  Tickets purchased on Saturday and Sunday are $15 each and allow return admission for the remainder to the fair. For more information about tickets or exhibiting, visit www.cabookfair.com<http://www.cabookfair.com> .

For more information about the 46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair, please visit the website at www.cabookfair.com<http://www.cabookfair.com>  or the ABAA website at www.abaa.org; <http://www.abba.org;>  or call (415) 962-2500, (800) 454-6401.