Literacy

The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) has joined this year’s World Book & Copyright Day celebration in a big way. All over the world antiquarian booksellers will be holding pop-up book fairs to offer “a stunning selection of rare books, prints, manuscripts and ephemera to promote the trade of old and rare books and to support the UNESCO literacy projects in Africa.” These pop-up book fairs will surely provide visitors with a chance to peruse…

More Independent Resistance: This time from the Antiquarians September 18, 2014 – Posted in: Bookselling / Collecting, Content

In mid-April 2014 the Austrian antiquarian bookseller Norbert Donhofer was elected president of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), an umbrella organization compromised of twenty- two national associations, including our own ABAA, representing thirty-four countries and around 1,800 individual affiliates. In his first interview as President he noted that the most important project he was working on at the moment was “a strategic part-time cooperation with AbeBooks.” He went on: The aim is that…

Play Ball! March 27, 2013

In honor of our national pastime Book Patrol curated this list of collectible baseball material for our friends at Biblio.com Enjoy! ‘The first book devoted exclusively to baseball’ Mayhew and Baker, publishers. The Base Ball Player’s Pocket Companion: Containing Rules and Regulations for Forming Clubs, Directions for the “Massachusetts Game,” and the “New York Game,” from Official Reports. Boston: Mayhew and Baker. 1859. First edition. 16mo. 35(1)pp. Original flexible cloth-covered boards with a gilt illustration of a…

Bad Dog! A 17th Century Canine Book Review December 11, 2012

The illustration above appears in the 1697 book, Critique historique, politique, morale, economique et comique sur les lotteries by Gregorio Leti. Leti was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church and of the Pope. His works earned him a spot on the Church’s infamous list of prohibited books, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. As a close up of the image reveals the dogs didn’t take to kindly to the stream of books invading their space. And here is the…

Bible belonging to Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, hits the market for $1.5 million August 3, 2010

The family bible of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, has made its way to market. The book contains the only know full Joseph Smith family tree, which includes a seventh son who died at birth and was never named. The book was was sold by the family in 1979 and has been in private hands since. The only other known copy of a Joseph Smith family bible,…