One Week in Paris - 41st ILAB Congress and 25th ILAB International Antiquarian Book Fair

We meet on Facebook, we talk in Tweets. Why bother to travel a long way to meet real people?

Why not?

Have you ever attended an ILAB Congress? Have you ever met in Bologna, Lucerne, Tokyo, Sydney, Amsterdam, Munich, London, Brussels, New York, Edinburgh, Venice, San Francisco or Scandinavia?

No? - YOU MISSED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!

ILAB Congresses and International Antiquarian Book Fairs are the real thing: They offer the chance to meet colleagues, collectors, librarians and real books, and the chance for collectors, librarians and real books to meet us! This is unique.

April 11-13, 2014, Grand Palais (Paris)

Salon International du Livre Ancien and 25th ILAB International Antiquarian Book Fair

Under the high patronage of Mr François Hollande, President of the French Republic

Bienvenue à Paris! Welcome to Paris! Over 180 antiquarian booksellers from Europe, the United States, and Japan meet in the beautiful French capital to show rare and fine books, prints and manuscripts at the Salon International du Livre Ancien at the Grand Palais, which is in this year’s edition the 25th ILAB International Antiquarian Book Fair immediately followed by the 41st Congress of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.

The elegant glass-domed halls of the Grand Palais will be filled with the most prestigious books, rare manuscripts, historical documents and hand-written letters by authors, artists, scientists, philosophers and politicians along with beautiful editions and bindings covering all centuries, every imaginable subject and the various tastes of young newcomers and experienced collectors.

Vernissage (by invitation): Thursday, 10th April, 5 pm. The Salon International du Livre Ancien at the Grand Palais runs from 11th to 13th April and is accompanied by an attractive program highlighting the cultural heritage and the libraries of France and giving insight into the true joy of collecting.

April 12, noon, 2014, Grand Palais (Paris)

Shaken, not stirred ... The 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography goes to Jon Gilbert

The 16th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography goes to Jon Gilbert for his groundbreaking work about the author of the James Bond novels: Ian Fleming. The Bibliography. Gilbert's opus magnum covers every aspect of Ian Fleming’s writings: manuscripts, proofs, corrected or uncorrected, first and all later impressions, paperback editions and all subsequent printings and editions. It provides his readers with all that possibly is to know about Ian Fleming and his works. Fleming’s books comprise much more than the thrilling stories of the famous agent 007 whose love of sexy girls, dangerous duties in Her Majesty's service and a vodka martini is legendary.

The Prize of 10.000 $ will be officially presented to Jon Gilbert on 12th April, noon, during the International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Grand Palais (orchestra area).

April 13, 2014, 10 am, Maison France-Amériques (Paris)

ILAB Presidents' Meeting

At the last day of the International Antiquarian Book Fair and before the ILAB Congress begins, the Presidents of ILAB's 22 member associations come together for their annual General Meeting.

April 11-13, 2014, Paris

41st Congress of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers

It will be THE meeting place for antiquarian booksellers from all over the world: The Syndicat national de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (SLAM) and its president Anne Lamort welcome rare book dealers from Europe, Asia, Australia and America to the 41st ILAB Congress in Paris from 13th to 16th April, 2014. The amazing Congress program shows the best of the French cultural heritage and allows the Congress participants to take a close look at the rich treasures of some of the World’s famous libraries and collections, including: the Bibliothèque nationale de France – with three magnificent exhibitions: The Treasure of Books, The Coronelli Globes, The Great War 1914-1918 - the Bibliothèque de L’Arsenal, the castles, libraries and museums of Ecouen and Chantilly – with the famous "Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry". –, the Dutuit Collection and the Bibliothèque Mazarine.

1914 – 2014

SLAM, a hundred years young

The Syndicat national de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne has invited the world’s leading antiquarian booksellers to celebrate a very special occasion: the centenary of SLAM, founded in the year 1914 as the second oldest antiquarian booksellers' association worldwide. SLAM has always played a key role in the International League. André Poursin, one of ILAB's founding fathers, was a member of SLAM, succeeded by distinguished French booksellers who served as ILAB Presidents: Georges Blaizot (1952-1954), Fernand de Nobele (1968-1972), and Alain Nicolas (1996-1999). In the years 1950, 1961, and 1988 antiquarian booksellers followed SLAM’s invitation to attend the 3rd, 14th and 29th Congresses of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers held in Paris. With around 250 members today, SLAM belongs to the largest and most influential national associations of the professional antiquarian book trade.