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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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ABAA New York in April! - By Bruce McKinney A great fair, a great opportunity New York, New York what a hell of a town. What this means depends on who you are talking to. Me, I like the place and would live there if it was practical. It’s not but there are no prohibitions against visiting and in April the New York ABAA Fair makes it absolutely appealing. Not so long ago there were plenty of old and rare bookshops in America. These days they increasingly operate from houses, offices and garages in locations off the beaten track. To see booksellers it’s now the norm to join them at the appointed time at a booksellers’ event. The best of these events in North America is the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America show in New York in April, this year April 12^th to the 15^th. This year, as in recent past years, the fair is at the Park Avenue Armory on Park at 67^th. For a few days the fair absorbs the attention of the literate and literati, who between Broadway Shows, benefits and jaunts to weekend getaways, every year mark the beginning of spring with a long weekend of the intellect. The young, the almost young and the wish-I-was-young-again-s long ago found the power of good books and great literature to rejuvenate and now make the yearly sojourn to remember and be remembered, to be for a few hours in the company of a community that appreciates gifted authors and great writing, a community that yields to the gentle urge to hold a great copy of a great book that may trigger memory and secure a open synapse that until the eye set upon the book one did not know was setting unresolved for years waiting for this moment. That’s the way it is with books, best and boon companions that like our dogs, return our love unquestioned.
ABAA New York in April! - By Bruce McKinney A celebrity endorsement The star struck and dreamy readers are not the only ones you’ll chance upon. The thin man in loafers, slacks and French tee shirt will casually point to a stellar example of an important atlas, inquire if there is latitude, be assured there is and nod in agreement, a single item passing silently for an amount greater than most other books fairs earn for all their participants for entire events. This is how it is at the New York fair. If there are mine owners there are also gold miners who will parse the stacked material for long sought gems and the undervalued. Such items can be found here because dealers are like specialist physicians. They know their specialty but often not the other dealer’s and it’s the nature of the trade today to buy what’s offered so long as it makes sense. However, out-of-concentration material isn’t going to be held for long but while it is fresh, that is newly landed in a dealer’s stock, it can often be bought right off the shelf well and quickly before it’s even been catalogued. Some others of the visitors are going to have sworn they will not buy a thing. “I’m only here to look.” Spouses if they are wise will be lurking nearby. “Georgia, this is a lovely book!” “Yes George but so is the car we can buy with that money.” When Georgia is not present the deal is of course done and arrangements made to deliver it to the office. “It will be my surprise.” There are of course also the devoted couples whose trips to the book fair refresh their long-long bonds. “He loves to collect and I love to see him happy.” Finally there are the new-to-the-fairs who unsuspecting, chance in and find a community they have always missed and didn’t know existed. They watch NPR, attend the occasional lecture at the 72^nd St. Y, read the New York Times city edition cover to cover and know there are other people like themselves in New York but can’t imagine where to find them. Here, inside the entrance, the look of the crowd is just right. “Is that ----- over there? She must be a book collector.” Then slowly, row-by-row, the novice advances, glancing and pausing, inquiring. “I’d like to buy this book. It matters to me.”
ABAA New York in April! - By Bruce McKinney And so it does. And in the years to come this new-to-collecting will become seasoned, perhaps someday to retire with the ambition to move from in front to behind the glass. The mind races on. For today I’ll buy only two books, a promise that lasts only one row when a new commitment is made to five, absolutely only five. Later going home, two packages in hand, it’s been a good day. “I spent my day in the company of those who love books. I bought a few and come away rejuvenated and can’t wait until next year.“ New York Book Fair 2012

ABAA New York in April!

- By Bruce McKinney

A great fair, a great opportunity

New York, New York what a hell of a town. What this means depends on who you are talking to. Me, I like the place and would live there if it was practical. It’s not but there are no prohibitions against visiting and in April the New York ABAA Fair makes it absolutely appealing. Not so long ago there were plenty of old and rare bookshops in America. These days they increasingly operate from houses, offices and garages in locations off the beaten track. To see booksellers it’s now the norm to join them at the appointed time at a booksellers’ event. The best of these events in North America is the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America show in New York in April, this year April 12^th to the 15^th.

This year, as in recent past years, the fair is at the Park Avenue Armory on Park at 67^th. For a few days the fair absorbs the attention of the literate and literati, who between Broadway Shows, benefits and jaunts to weekend getaways, every year mark the beginning of spring with a long weekend of the intellect. The young, the almost young and the wish-I-was-young-again-s long ago found the power of good books and great literature to rejuvenate and now make the yearly sojourn to remember and be remembered, to be for a few hours in the company of a community that appreciates gifted authors and great writing, a community that yields to the gentle urge to hold a great copy of a great book that may trigger memory and secure a open synapse that until the eye set upon the book one did not know was setting unresolved for years waiting for this moment. That’s the way it is with books, best and boon companions that like our dogs, return our love unquestioned.

ABAA New York in April!

- By Bruce McKinney

A celebrity endorsement

The star struck and dreamy readers are not the only ones you’ll chance upon. The thin man in loafers, slacks and French tee shirt will casually point to a stellar example of an important atlas, inquire if there is latitude, be assured there is and nod in agreement, a single item passing silently for an amount greater than most other books fairs earn for all their participants for entire events. This is how it is at the New York fair.

If there are mine owners there are also gold miners who will parse the stacked material for long sought gems and the undervalued. Such items can be found here because dealers are like specialist physicians. They know their specialty but often not the other dealer’s and it’s the nature of the trade today to buy what’s offered so long as it makes sense. However, out-of-concentration material isn’t going to be held for long but while it is fresh, that is newly landed in a dealer’s stock, it can often be bought right off the shelf well and quickly before it’s even been catalogued.

Some others of the visitors are going to have sworn they will not buy a thing. “I’m only here to look.” Spouses if they are wise will be lurking nearby. “Georgia, this is a lovely book!” “Yes George but so is the car we can buy with that money.” When Georgia is not present the deal is of course done and arrangements made to deliver it to the office. “It will be my surprise.”

There are of course also the devoted couples whose trips to the book fair refresh their long-long bonds. “He loves to collect and I love to see him happy.”

Finally there are the new-to-the-fairs who unsuspecting, chance in and find a community they have always missed and didn’t know existed. They watch NPR, attend the occasional lecture at the 72^nd St. Y, read the New York Times city edition cover to cover and know there are other people like themselves in New York but can’t imagine where to find them. Here, inside the entrance, the look of the crowd is just right. “Is that ----- over there? She must be a book collector.” Then slowly, row-by-row, the novice advances, glancing and pausing, inquiring. “I’d like to buy this book. It matters to me.”

ABAA New York in April!

- By Bruce McKinney

And so it does. And in the years to come this new-to-collecting will become seasoned, perhaps someday to retire with the ambition to move from in front to behind the glass. The mind races on. For today I’ll buy only two books, a promise that lasts only one row when a new commitment is made to five, absolutely only five. Later going home, two packages in hand, it’s been a good day.

“I spent my day in the company of those who love books. I bought a few and come away rejuvenated and can’t wait until next year.“

New York Book Fair 2012