Booth at the 2009 Sharjah International Book Fairin Dubai, November 11-21, 2009
Antiquariaat Forum, an ILAB, Netherlands-based dealer of rare books, prints, maps, manuscripts and drawings, is the only rare book dealer exhibiting at the Sharjah World Book Fair in Dubai.
According to Corstiaan S, Hesselink, Antiquariat Forum’s owner, affluent collectors, universities, libraries, and museums in the region are open to spending large sums to acquire rare, antiquarian books.
Hesselink brought only a small selection of books, wisely keyed to regional interests. A volume on falconry from the 16th century, priced at €165,000, has already attracted several serious buyers, according to Hesselink. Another first and only edition rare book on falconry by Francois de Saincte Aulaire (b. 1551), a grand falconer of France, is priced €60,000.
”Rare books fetch a fancy premium. The price of this hunting manuscript written in 1570 is €165,000. This is a book about hunting with falcons and reflects the importance of falconry in 16th century Middle East and Europe,” said Hesselink.
He also has a 600-year-old Arabic economics book on free markets. “This is one of the earliest manuscripts on free market economies and its price is $12,600.
”We also have an original reproduction of an important atlas of Europe originally made in Amsterdam in the 17th century. It is priced at €75,000. One volume is entirely about Arabia and Asia and its original is kept in the Austrian National Library of Vienna.”
Antiquariat Forum also has a collection of twenty early photographs of Mecca. “These are really rare photographs of Mecca when photography was in its infancy. The price is $126,300.”
The Sharjah International Book Fair is a 10 day annual event showcasing the books of more than 750 publishers from close to 42 nations, with an average of 400,000 visitors attending each year. and with sales and trade connections estimated at $28 million. Considered the area’s biggest public event, the aim of Sharjah International Book Fair is to generate the reading habit amongst the region’s people. It runs through November 21, 2009.
Full story from Emirates Business 24/7.