Went to a book show this weekend
Nap
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Went to the New York Antiquarian Book Fair over the weekend.
I don't collect books but my wife is into old maps. I also am a fan of medieval illuminated manuscripts.
There was no shortage of cool stuff, even if you're not into that stuff. Fully illustrated medieval prayer books, pages from the Gutenberg bible, autographed first editions of Dickens, 17th century hand colored maps and atlases, etc. Plenty of more modern stuff too.
What really struck me though was the demographics of the attendees.
There were quite a number of millennials, young couples, plenty of people in their 30s and 40s, and women. I would say the young and old were split nearly 50/50. I didn't see a ton of purchases but the fact that there was multigenerational interest in expensive collectibles was still reassuring. This is despite the fact that there was a $25 per person admission fee, so it was not just random bored folks off the street.
Comments
I might be waaaaaaaay off base here, but I imagine this niche holds interest among various generations (including younger generations) because the books, manuscripts and the like can be taken apart and individually framed as artwork or cool historical "stuff" to put on the walls of offices, apartments and houses. Also, the pages or images that are not desired may then be re-sold to partially recoup the investment or even to make money. It's tough to do that with coins.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I have several old hand colored maps as well as antiquarian books. Books appeal to all demographics and learned cultures so it does not surprise me the show was so well attended. Too bad we don't see the same mix of age groups at coin shows.
Sounds like a good time! Do antiquarian book dealers have mustard stains on their shirts?
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
I suspect the Gutenberg Bible pages came from a copy that was broken up in the 1920's and sold off page by page. I have held the Detroit Institute of Arts page in my hands!
How are the buy-sell margins in that field? I know the margins in the used book business are huge.
Why was the entrance fee so expensive?
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2021 Young Numismatist of the Year
That sure keeps out the riffraff.
I always said that a coinless society would not impact coin collecting (and actually may create interest in it). Here you have young map collectors even though hand held maps are genuinely a thing of the past with GPS, internet, etc.
No mustard stains... Perhaps a misplaced splash of red wine. Nothing under $25 a bottle of course.
Seriously... Sounds like fun.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
How come coin people are the only ones to complain about an entrance fee?
Most other hobby conventions and meetings or trade shows have entrance fees that are readily paid by the attendees.
Gun shows, antique shows the book fair mentioned all do not suffer low attendance due to the entrance fee. If you think the $25 was expensive try looking at the cost to attend Comiccon!
Please excuse the spelling if it is incorrect as I do not attend but have friends that have.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
Coin collectors are very cheap when it comes to buying things other than coins. One just passed me now walking to Baltimore ... only 700 miles to go. It must be tough walking through the snow with those coin cases on his back. But the money he is saving ...
I love the pages of the pre-printing press medieval manuscripts. Hand illustrated, with creatures and biblical scenes, and gold leaf illumination. I had one already and picked up another at the show.
I believe a complete book is probably worth more than the parts and is not likely to be dismembered, although some books are already damaged and are as such sold as individual pages.
Everything in New York City is so expensive !!
I remember going to Comic Con about 20 years ago and I don't recall the entrance fee being excessive, but I suppose times have changed
I don't think most people have a problem paying to enter a trade show with international dealers, high end material, and exhibitions.
The concession stand was fairly high end, as you might expect in Manhattan. No hot dogs to be found!
Even books are becoming digital. My wife does almost all her reading on an e-reader. And reading a map is a dying art.
This does parallel the coin hobby.
That sounds like a great show...one I would be more than willing to pay $25 dollars to attend... I love old books... of many types.... I frequent book and antique shops around here, since that is what we have in place of coin or pawn shops.... Cheers, RickO
Somebody got it right above, most shows do not want riff-raff, if you won't spend $25 to get in the door, you won't be buying a Gutenberg anytime soon. lol
In San Francisco area, comic con entrance fee is easily $50-$60 for a three day pass (not sure they sold one day pass). Even worse, if you did not reserve a ticket in advance, you could wait in the line for 4 hours to buy it.
We shouldn't even discuss how expensive hot dog is in the comic show
NYINC admission fee is $20. $15 if you print the coupon on their website.