From left to right, the winners of the Collector’s Prize: Amelia Grounds, judge; Sarah Horowitz, chair of the Fine Press Book Association; Haein Song, runner-up winner; Ken Botnick, winner; Gaylord Schanilec, runner-up winner; Ruth Rogers, judge; Leon Fine, judge.
Review & Onsite Photos by Caitlyn “Cat” Snell
NEW YORK CITY — Despite slate-gray skies, people began to line up at the Church of St Vincent Ferrer early on April 5, in anticipation of the eleventh annual Manhattan Rare Book and Fine Press Book Fair, affectionately known as the Shadow Show. The line stretched down the block and was lively, full with long-time collectors and dealers coming from the “big show” across the street.
In contrast to the multi-day New York International Antiquarian Book Fair (see our review of that show, this issue, pages 17-21), the Shadow Show is a single day affair lasting from 9 am to 5 pm. With a diverse group of exhibitors, and a similarly vast array of prices, there is something for everyone. This versatility is reflected in the attendees, which ranged from new collectors to big institutions like the Peabody Essex Museum (Salem, Mass.) and the Boston Athenaeum, as well as universities such as Furman University (Greenville, S.C.) and the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis.
This widespread appeal has led to the growth of the Shadow Show as it doubled the number of exhibitors since last year and hosted 959 unique visitors. There were 89 exhibitors, including 55 antiquarian book dealers as well as 34 fine art-book presses that inhabited an additional new room that allowed the event to feel both spacious and intimate simultaneously.
Sienna Wells holds open a text bound in a piece of manuscript waste dating back to the Twelfth Century. Tom W. Ayling, Wallingford, UK.
Walking into the basement of St Vincent, attendees were greeted by a dazzling collection of rare book dealers that came from near and far. One of the first booths was that of Tom W. Ayling from Wallingford, UK. A member of Ayling’s team, Sienna Wells presented an unassuming work from their new expansion into medieval texts. A small 1742 reprint of a religious text which was bound in a scrap piece of a Twelfth Century manuscript detailing a partial piece of Aurelius Clemens Prudentius’ (348-413 CE) Crown of Martyrs.
Hailing from much closer, Andrew Lenoir and Ellipsis Rare Books of East Hampton, N.Y., specializes in the occult, psychedelic books and anything classified as “formerly forbidden knowledge.” On display, Lenoir had many of interesting titles, including an original Indonesian Grimoire manuscript. However, Lenoir hoped that another title would catch collectors’ eyes: a 1568 copy of The Secrets of Alexis of Piedmont, which included annotations from a previous owner, Carlo Brentano de Grianti, a Milanese count.
While many exhibitors at the show specialize in person-to-person dealing, others were like Act 2 Books, who came to sell, as well as to encourage collectors to visit them in Flemington, N.J., where their brick-and-mortar store is located. Specializing in Americana, military history and Twentieth Century literature, a unifying feature of Mike Uhede’s showing was that each had personality. One such title was an 1896 copy of The Writings Of Harriet Beecher Stowe, which was autographed shortly before her death.
From the collection of Act 2 Books, an autographed copy of The Writings Of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Flemington, N.J.
Lawrence Van DeCarr, proprietor of Bookleggers Fine Books out of Park Ridge, Ill., has been in the industry long enough to have seen the many tides of book dealing and to have tried out every form himself. Now, he primarily deals through an online storefront, but his was a winding path when, 45 years ago, he put himself on the supposedly straight-and-narrow path of selling books. Now, he loosely specializes in science fiction and illustrated books, though what really matters to him is that every book he collects or sells is in prime condition. As for what he hoped would garner interest at the fair, he noted, “whatever catches an attendees’ eye.” With a collection ranging from first-edition Stephen King novels to beautifully bound fine press books like a 1925 copy of De La Reine Pédauque, there was certainly plenty to draw attendees in.
With the show’s expanded capacity, there were also many dealers who exhibited at the Shadow Sale for the first time this year. One such dealer was Bagatelle Books from Asheville, N.C. Britt DiBartolo disclosed that it was their first time attending and that they were heartened by the liveliness of the show. They had a varied collection, with items like first edition children’s literature, poetry and photography books. One rare offering was a limited edition hardback copy of Tulsa by Larry Clarke, which also featured a signed print.
Another first-time exhibitor at the Shadow Show was Nathan Grabbard with Owl Creek Books out of Los Angeles. More of a generalist, Grabbard had a broad collection featuring modern literature, signed copies and an array of bookplates. One signed work that he had on offer was a 1906 copy of Frederic Remington’s Way of an Indian.
A collection of original art from Doctor Coyote, illustrated by Wendy Watson, with story retold by John Bierhorst, that was on offer by E. M. Maurice Books. Torrington, Conn.
Literature pertaining to Native Americans was a theme among many booths. Timothy Forry of E.M. Maurice Books of Torrington Conn., had on display an archive of original art for the children’s book, Doctor Coyote: A Native American Aesop’s Fables. The collection, which also featured correspondence between the book designer, Jane Byers Bierhorst and the illustrator Wendy Watson, was made up of 14 original watercolor illustrations from the book and came with a copy of the paperback book.
Walnut Street Paper from Kutztown, Penn., had indigenous photography in the midst of their striking collection. Alexis and George Sirrakos specialize in the graphically interesting and had many compelling items including an array of four broadsides from Guatemala dated to 1854. The broadsides announce that Don Rafael Carrera was to be president in perpetuity. Carrera declared this in his second term as president (1851-1865) after his “voluntary” exile following his first term.
Another graphically interesting booth was that of Philip Salmon of Philip Salmon & Company Rare Books of Boston, who specializes in the art of the book. As the successor to Bromer Booksellers, the Shadow Show was Salmon’s first fair under the new name, and they launched an impressive catalog to mark the occasion. Bound in a pallet was the 60-foot accordion folded folio of the Crimes of Silence by Gordan Murray with the text of Martin Niemöller’s poem stating, “They came first for the communists…” Salmon also had multiple mechanical paper-pull art books like the circa 1900 Grand Theatre des Animaux, where the reader could pull paper tabs to animate the scenes on the page.
A copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from Pryor-Johnson Rare Books. Maspeth, N.Y.
David Johnson of Pryor-Johnson Rare Books from Maspeth, N.Y., had similarly interactive texts. Specializing in signed modern fine press books, Johnson had multiple items pertaining to children’s literature including a beautiful bound copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The binding, made by Angela James, featured multiple kinetic elements from the frog’s envelope that really had an invitation inside to a little wooden door which opened to reveal a garden scene.
Michael Pyron of Conshohocken, Penn., also featured a display focused on artistry. Though specializing in fine and private press books, Americana literature and artist books, Pryon brought only artist books with him to the Shadow Show. Including Rescuing Q: Quandaries and Queries by Suzanne More along with other collaborators. This book featured a stunning meditation and deconstruction on the letter “Q” based on collected questions.
Turning from Pyron’s booth and following signs announcing “more books!”, was the show’s newest space, bright, busy and full of fine press booths. Nearest the entrance was Two Ponds Press, a press run by Kenneth Shure out of Rockport, Maine, that collaborates with artists to produce limited run fine press artist books. One of the artists Two Ponds Press represents, Sarah Horowitz, was exhibiting with them. She had her newest work on display: Historic Tulips, a loose-bound folio of etchings of rare tulip species. Also joining them was Anneli Skaar, a collaborator on book design and typography, who worked on many of the works they had on display, including a new publication coming out in Fall/Winter 2025 titled Caponigro Conversations, which is an artist book featuring photography, text and audio recordings.
Anneli Skaar and Sarah Horowitz pictured at the Two Ponds Press booth; in front of them are works by Horowitz, including Historic Tulips. Rockport, Maine.
Another collaborative press, Plain Wrapper Press Redux from Philadelphia, also had new offerings. Publisher Mark E. Fischer was presenting their past publications as well as a prototype of their newest work, Pilgrims & Guests, which is anticipated to release in June. It will feature 12 poems by W.S. Di Piero and three watercolor illustrations by Fulvio Testa.
Other fine presses expanded on the concept of hand-made. Mark Saigianis of The Prototype Press in southern Maryland creates works like their 2024 edition of Ursula LeGuin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. This book was not just printed and bound by the press but Saigianis also cast the type-face used for the printing. Philadelphia’s Luminice Press likewise innovates with Thomas Parker Williams co-publishing alongside Mary Agnes Williams, building the printing press that they use in their works.
Similarly, some presses’ innovate on the form of books. Warren Lehrer of Sunnyside, N.Y., with his print EarSay presented three new publications, including one that is entirely virtual. Specializing in the design of his collaborative works, Riveted in the Word is a different sort of e-book that offers an interactive exploration using multimedia formats.
Todd Thyberg of Angel Bomb, Minneapolis, rifts on the book as an object with Pathogenisis, which explores gun violence in America as a disease. The book itself is made up of loose hexagonal pages set inside a half-sphere case studded with bullets.
Thorsten Dinnerline, The Bird Press, showing how Fragmented Elements can be displayed flat or folded. Bennington, Vt.
The Bird Press, run by Thorsten Dennerline out of Bennington, Vt., produces books that are in conversation with the last publication. One work, Fragmented Elements, featured large scale sheets that can be viewed as flat or folded out into shapes that feel both organic and inorganic. His next work in response is a very small book titled, Did That Really Happen?, and is a collaboration between Dennerline and his brother meditating on translation and recovery.
Towards the middle of the day, the winners of the Collector’s Prize were announced, highlighting impressive pieces that were a culmination of work and art. One of the runner-up slots went to Haein Song from London, for Un–Folded. The work uses special cyanotype printing to produce maps of unfolded origami which — combined with the poetry of Sam Winston — grapple with time, space and ancestry. The other runner-up was Gaylord Schanilec of Midnight Paper Sales, based in Stockholm, Wis., for his work Hole in the Donut: Scrape 22, which deals with technology, nature and a new conceptualization of intuition. Finally, the winner of the Collector’s Prize was Kenneth Botnick with his press emdash out of Haydenville, Mass. His work, The Six Memos Project is in conversation with the Italo Calvino work, Six Memos For the Next Millennium.
It was a good show for fine presses and antiquarian dealers alike. Mayukh Bhadra and Shelley Bhadra of Timeless Tales Rare Books out of Acton, Mass., had a rare single edition 1838 accordion folded representation of Queen Victoria’s coronation procession stretching out to six feet long, which sold early in the day. Valentina Cordero of Owl of Minerva Rare Books out of West New York, N.J., sold a similarly impressive piece quickly, with a limited signed edition of James Joyces’ Ulysses with illustrations by Henri Matisse going to a private dealer.
Jen Johnson, the fair’s communications director as well as proprietor of Johnson Rare Books and Archives, commented on the success of the show saying her own company “sold half the items that Brad Johnson purchased on the road between California and New York. Sales included community cookbooks to The Smithsonian and a scarce collection of World War II periodicals aimed at war doctors to a Special Collections library in Minnesota.” Additionally, another exhibitor “sold first edition copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was offered for sale for $65,000.”
Johnson confirmed that the 2026 fair would take place on Saturday, May 2. For more information, www.rarebooksla.com.
