Celebrating the ABAA's 75th Anniversary
At AbeBooks, we believe that everyone's a collector.
Whether you’re preserving works for the future or just surrounding yourself with what you love, everyone can live their passion through collecting.
To celebrate the historic 75th anniversary of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), we've partnered together to interview dealers who are breaking the mould and re-defining the art of book collecting.
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Video Companion
Meet the dealers & collector
Get to know Lisbet, Rebecca, Obadiah, and Walter as they take you through their passion, their collection, and their guidance for the fledgling collector.
Lisbet is an Oakland, California-based archivist, collector, and curator. Her archives and collections focus on late 20th century African Americana.
Rebecca is the co-founder of Type Punch Matrix, a rare book firm in the Washington, D.C. area selling a mixture of beloved classics and innovative texts from throughout print history.
Obadiah specialises in rare and collectible science fiction, fantasy, and horror, and runs The Book Bin’s two large general interest shops in Salem and Corvallis, Oregon.
Walter specialises in the history of film, television, and theatre, and has handled many important and desirable pieces through his storefront, Walter Reuben, Inc.
Looking for a crash course to start your own collection? Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) President Alexander Akin shares the guidance and tips to get started.
The new generation of collectibles
Explore genuine, one-of-a-kind items from some of the ABAA’s curated themes.
Search books & collectibles from ABAA members
Promoting an interest in rare and antiquarian books and book collecting
More collecting guides
Explore a vast library of collecting guides covering topics from valuable cookbooks and rare bibles, to vintage magazines and ephemera.
From Egyptian wall paintings and Greek sculptures to the emergence of abstract painting and Pop Art.
11 Min Read
There are two main points to consider when looking at an illustration. Who created the illustration, and what artistic method did they use to create it? Learn more with our guide.
4 Min Read
A collection doesn’t have to be based around a particular author or subject matter, books themselves can be things of beauty and many collections are assembled because the books are presented as pieces of art.
2 Min Read
Sandra Hindman is a leading expert on Medieval and Renaissance manuscript illumination. Professor Emerita of Art History at Northwestern University and owner of Les Enluminures, Sandra is author, co-author, or editor of more than 10 books, as well as numerous articles on history, illuminated manuscripts and medieval rings. AbeBooks posed a number of basic questions about medieval manuscripts and Sandra was kind enough to answer them.
6 Min Read
There are a variety of places where you can purchase books for your collection, and a number of things that you should always be aware of when buying a rare book.
5 Min Read
The publication of folio-size sheets of American popular music dates to the late 18th century, but the practice didn't pick up steam until the 1830s, '40s, and '50s. That's when upright pianos first began to find their way into the parlors and salons of U.S. homes.
2 Min Read