Trading in rare books, dealers to touch down in Toronto

TORONTO, Oct. 21 /CNW/ - The world of the antiquarian book comes to Toronto late this month.  The 2010 Toronto International Antiquarian Book Fair will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from October 29 to 31.  It brings together 50 rare book sellers from Europe, the USA and Canada.  This will be an exceptional opportunity for visitors to peruse a stunning array of rare books from around the globe.

These dealers will offer books on an exceptional range of interests.  Specialties include travel, exploration, early science, medicine, literature, natural history, Canadiana, sports and games, Orientalia, military, Arctic regions, Judaica, crime fiction, gardening and art.  In addition collectors will find first editions by modern authors, fine illustrated books, historically important documents, maps, prints and rare volumes dating back to the 15^th century.

The book fair will also provide a fascinating opportunity to meet the remarkable people who make a vocation out of dealing in antiquarian, rare and valuable books, prints, manuscripts and illustrations.

Eric Waschke, proprietor of The Wayfarer's Bookshop in Vancouver, will be at the Toronto fair   Still only in his early forties, he has been selling old books for twenty five years.  Fuelled both by a passion for exploration, and by his thirst for finding more and more books, he embarked some years ago on a campaign to explore 'the known book world'.  He set a goal to visit as many book shops in as many countries as he could manage.  At latest count, he has shopped in over 4000 shops in 80 countries.  Waschke is also an avid amateur mountaineer, and has climbed mountains around the world.  Travel and exploration dominate his extensive rare book collection.

Adrian Harrington runs a rare book shop by the same name, in London England.  He too is coming to Toronto.  As a young teenager he used to tour the second hand book shops of South London.  As a result he began to trade in old books while in university.  Of his school years, he says, "My degree started out as Chemistry and ended up as a B.Sc. in Geology, hence, I ended up as an antiquarian bookseller, specialising in whatever took my fancy!"  Agent 007 captured his fancy some time ago, and he is now considered one of the world's leading experts on James Bond, the books, and their author Ian Fleming.  Harrington will have Bond books in Toronto.

David Mason, principal of David Mason Books on Adelaide St. W in Toronto is considered by his peers to be the current dean of Canadian antiquarian booksellers.  He writes often on the bookselling trade.  In a recent piece, he described how, as a boy of seven, wandering in the woods by a golf course, he discovered a technique, he later refers to as 'Looking without Looking' that has served as a core skill throughout his career as a successful buyer and seller of old books.  Mason will have first editions of Frankenstein, and Dracula at the show, as well as a copy of the first Canadian edition of The Road to Oz.

In all, nearly 50 booksellers from Europe and North America will set up at the book fair.  The event will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, north building, 255 Front Street, W.  Opening night is Friday, October 29 from 5pm until 9pm.  The fair continues Saturday from 11am until 6:30pm and Sunday, from 12 noon until 5pm.  Admission is $15.  Visitors can register for an admission discount by visiting the official web site of the show, www.torontoantiquarianbookfair.com.  The web site contains a wealth of information about the fair, its participants, and the treasures they're bringing to Toronto.

For further information:

Jeff Gadsden
TIABF Marketing and Publicity
[email protected]
1-800-667-0619