45th International Antiquarian Boston Book Fair
October 27-29, 2023
Fri 4-8pm ($25) • Sat 12-7pm + Sun 12-5pm FREE
Hynes Convention Center
bostonbookfair.com

BOSTON — The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair (BIABF) returns to the Hynes Convention Center in Downtown Boston, October 27-29. Celebrating its 45th year, this three-day event features rare printed materials from around the globe, including illuminated manuscripts, modern first editions, children’s books, ephemera, photographs, maps and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics.

More than 100 rare book dealers from Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, the United Kingdom and the United States will exhibit a treasure trove for seasoned bibliomaniacs and first-time attendees. Prices range from the millions to the eminently affordable. Each item on view, whether immaculately preserved or intriguingly weathered, tells its own story. Each bookseller holds a seemingly bottomless wealth of knowledge, both artistically and historically, about each item in their collection.

“This is one of the most important annual events in the country for rare book enthusiasts,” said Julie Roper, chief executive officer of Capricorn Event Management, who has managed the Boston Book Fair since 2015. “After the height of the pandemic, we are seeing resurgent demand for in-person fairs, where a global community of the top dealers offer the most sought-after collections of books, maps, illustrations and ephemera on the market.”

Whether browsing or buying, the fair offers something for every taste and budget — books on art, politics, travel, gastronomy, science, sport, natural history, first editions, Americana, fashion, music, children’s books and much more — appealing to a range of collectors and casual browsers. From the historic and academic to the religious and spiritual, from the exotic to everyday — the fair represents every conceivable genre and subject. Attendees will have the unique chance to view rare and historic museum-quality items, offered by some of the most prestigious members of the trade.

Highlights from this year’s fair range from a rare example of the Ars Minor of Aelius Donatus, possibly printed before the Gutenberg Bible (circa 1455) to the first edition of Sylvia Plath’s debut book A Winter Ship; from a 1563 edition of Lucretius’ influential On the Nature of Things to a lavishly illustrated 1533 Parisian Book of Hours; from a Franco-Mexican contemporary artist book by Lorena Velazquez to the first German children’s book printed on fabric in 1840; along with first editions of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian and rare copies of a Black Panther Party “Black is Beautiful” engraving from 1965, the Bhagavad Gita, the Tibetan Book of the Dead and more.

The Boston Book Fair is sanctioned by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB).

In recent years, BIABF has increasingly captured the attention of novice and young collectors seeking one-of-a-kind offerings at more accessible price points. For attendees wanting to start a collection without breaking the bank, there will be dealers offering “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less. Special events at this year’s fair will include in-person talks.

Show hours are Friday, October 27, opening night, 4 to 8 pm. Tickets: $25 (available online or at the box office); Saturday, October 28, noon to 7 pm. Free admission; Sunday, October 29, noon to 5 pm. Free admission.

Hynes Convention Center (Hall A) is at 900 Boylston Street.

A complete list of exhibitors can be found at https://www.abaa.org/bostonbookfair/exhibitor-list1

For additional information, www.bostonbookfair.com or 617-938-8879.