Firsts Online Rare Book Fair attracts over 125 prominent international rare booksellers to its third online fair launching on Friday 27th November

The Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) is pleased to announce a distinguished list of exhibitors for its third online rare book fair taking place Friday 27th November to Wednesday 2nd December. With several leading names exhibiting at the online fair for the first time, as well as many returning, the winter edition of Firsts Online is set to be a refreshing showcase to mark the end of 2020.

Firsts Online will host over 125 international booksellers, with an impressive 33 new names exhibiting at the fair for the first time. New exhibitor Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books AG from Basel Switzerland, will be showcasing a selection of museum-quality treasures from Western European traditions, such as decorated bibles, illustrated historical works, and books from the Middle Ages until AD 1650. Paris-based The Métamorphoses Bookstore, will be participating for the first time as well, displaying a selection of old and modern books, manuscripts, and autograph documents.

Henry Sotheran Ltd, one of the world’s longest established antiquarian booksellers, will also be making their debut, along with Australian bookseller Hordern House, who specialises in materials relating to voyages and travels, natural history and colour-plate material. New UK exhibitors include Cambridge bookseller Hinck & Wall and Dorking-based antique map specialist Angelika Friebe Ltd.

Some of our returning exhibitors to Firsts Online include one of the largest and oldest antiquarian booksellers Maggs Bros. Ltd., specialists in material related to art and architecture Sims Reed, Shapero Rare Books, as well as Kerr & Sons Antiquarian Booksellers.

The November edition of Firsts Online will welcome booksellers from the ABA and the International League of Booksellers (ILAB), with each exhibitor showcasing up to 20 rare books respectively.

Over 2,000 items will be searchable by title, author, price, specialties and equally visit each bookseller’s virtual booth to view their highlights. Visitors can expect to see a variety of items including rare manuscripts, prints and illustrations, modern literature, and first or early editions. Prices of the items range between £45 up to £500,000, offering a price range to suit both the amateur collector to the seasoned bookseller.

Fair Highlights will include rare books such as first editions of Jane Austen, Ian Fleming first James Bond book, Charles Darwin, J.K. Rowling, and Captain James Cook. More unique items include an autographed note and ephemera from J.R.R. Tolkien, a copy of William Morris’ Kelmscott Chaucer, a 15th century manuscript of the Book of Hours as well as the first description of France written by an Englishman.


Details on Firsts Online:
Friday 27th November – 2nd December: Live at 2PM GMT
Visit: https://www.firsts-online.com/

Notes to Editors:
- The online fair has moved to a new website at www.firsts-online.com.
- The June and September editions of Firsts Online each brought together an average of 120 dealers from over 15 countries.
- Sales across both online fairs were strong, which saw an estimated £1,500,000 worth of books, maps and prints sold.
- Visitors to the website peaked on both opening days, with over 65,000 pageviews on the first day and totalling approximately 140,000 over the five-day periods.

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About the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA)
The ABA was founded in 1906 and is the oldest not-for-profit organisation of its kind in the world. It is the senior trade body for dealers in antiquarian and rare books, manuscripts and allied materials in the UK and its membership also includes many leading booksellers from overseas. Members are elected solely on the basis of proven experience, expertise and integrity and they guarantee the authenticity of all material offered for sale and ensure all items are properly described. The ABA runs book fairs in Edinburgh in March and in Chelsea in November as well as Firsts London. The ABA Educational Trust works to support a continued awareness of the heritage of the book and the printed word. At this year’s Fair members of the ABA are encouraged to donate books and objects to the ABA’s Benevolent Fund charity shop to raise money for the Fund. www.aba.org.uk.

Contact:
Elise Bousquet
Marketing & PR
Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association
marketing@aba.org.uk
+44 (0) 20 8004 9514