The Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair

August 4, 2016

What happens when a world-class selection of the antique books and ephemera is combined with three days of special displays, live literary-related entertainment, and family fun? The third annual Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair, of course! This highly anticipated event will be held at the Brooklyn Expo Center, located at 79 Franklin St., in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on Friday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 11.
This Book Fair will have a Friday evening opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Regular hours for the weekend will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. A variety of ticketing options are available ranging from $7 for a Sunday only ticket to $25 for the preview opening benefit. The three-day show is sponsored by AbeBooks and produced by Marvin Getman of Book and Paper Fairs.
The Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair will feature nearly 100 top-tier dealers from all over the world who will present a full spectrum of collectible and antique books and quality ephemera. Ephemera are items made from paper that were not made to stand the test of time, and have since become collectible. Popular ephemera categories include correspondence, advertising, historical documents, posters, tickets, brochures, cards, and others.  
In addition to the breathtaking array of works on paper available, this celebration also features many special events and exhibits designed to reflect Brooklyn’s distinctive personality, quirkiness, and central roles in American literary history.
The opening preview night celebration will benefit 826NYC, a local organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Special locally sourced refreshments will be available and each preview guest will receive a free limited edition fair poster.
Another highlight will be the Haiku Lounge. The Haiku Guys & Gals and Pop Productions will present an immersive, poetic hideaway featuring interactive performances, artful food and drink selections, curiosities, crafts, and other analog and antiquarian delights. These remarkable Haikuists will be authoring free, one-of-a-kind poems and spreading the syllable love through their unique blend of performance, audience interaction, and humor.
Another event will be done by Stacy Waldman, from House of Mirth. She will present a lovingly curated, exclusive exhibit of vintage snapshots featuring books, readers, libraries, and other literary themes.
Rebecca Rego Barry, the editor of Fine Books & Collections, will be greeting visitors and signing her newest book, “Rare Books Uncovered: True Stories of Fantastic Finds in Unlikely Places,” on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. This book recounts extraordinary discoveries from the world of book collecting, like a stash of vintage comic books worth $3.5 million long forgotten in a basement closet or a first edition of “To Kill a Mockingbird” purchased at a Philadelphia flea market for a few dollars. The Washington Post called Rego Barry’s book "a welcome gift for a passionate reader or collector.”
Book author and artist Esther K. Smith will present her latest book, “Making Books with Kids: 25 Paper Projects to Fold, Sew, Paste, Pop, and Draw,” and will give a hands-on demonstration of simple pop-ups and movable books also on Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. Smith’s publications have been on display at the Metropolitan and the Victoria & Albert museums, and are in collections including the MoMA, Whitney, Tate, Cooper Hewitt, and The National Gallery of Art, among many others.
"It’s not too early to mark your calendars for what undoubtedly will be one of the most exciting, interesting, and quality book and paper events of the fall season. Although this show is only in its third year, its number of national and international dealers, as well as range of items on offer, confirm its location and format as the perfect fit for Brooklynites and their borough neighbors. It’s going to be a great show indeed,” according to show producer Marvin Getman.
Book and Paper Fairs produces some of the top book and ephemera fairs in the northeast. The professionally managed events have a long history of bringing together the finest buyers and sellers in the industry, and are held in major locations including Boston, Mass., Brooklyn, N.Y., Concord, N.H., and Lexington, Mass.
For more information and a calendar of shows, visit www.bookandpaperfairs.com.

 

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