Florida Antiquarian Book Fair exhibitors Richard Mori and Duane Stevens were guests on Channel 10's morning program Great Day Tampa Bay with hosts Java Ingram and Janelle Martinez on Thursday.
They persevered amid the chaos that is what you get when you pair up The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 to let everyone know about our celebration of Dr. Seuss on Saturday, the 120th birthday of the beloved author and illustrator from whose fertile imagination sprang that frolicsome trio. You can watch the entire festivities right here.
Richard brought along some unusual items created by Dr. Seuss in the 1930s and during the World War II era, when Theodor Seuss Geisel did his patriotic duty and aided the war effort. Duane brought a beautiful book with illustrations of insects published centuries ago in England.
You can see all of these items at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair this weekend at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. On Saturday, as reported in the previous blog entry, the Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 will be on hand for the Dr. Seuss birthday party.
This Saturday is Dr. Seuss’ 120th birthday, and at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, we’re celebrating it in a big with a big cake and the antics of The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2. It all begins at 2 p.m. We hope you’ll come join us.
During his career, Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) wrote and illustrated more than 60 books, most of them innovative stories for children. Most fairgoers either grew up with the phenomenon that became Dr. Seuss or knew someone who did.
Today The Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, the Grinch who stole Christmas, Horton (who heard a Who), that gastronomic oddity Green Eggs and Ham, the Fox in Sox, the environmentally active Lorax, are enmeshed in our culture.
In the program for the 2024 Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, we delve into some of the back story of the man who created the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss. We hope you’ll take the time to learn more about this beloved and creative man.
Of course, the Dr. Seuss’ birthday is only a small part of the phenomenon that is the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. Booksellers from all over the country gather once a year here in St. Petersburg to present opportunities for book lovers and others who are attracted to old prints, maps, photographs, and all sorts of ephemera like post cards, brochures, newspapers and so much more.
Please enjoy the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, and come all three days if you can. That way you can take your time and see everything.
It's written by people who know their stuff and it's dedicated to you -- the individual who wants to keep on learning about the things of the past that hold such fascination.
Perhaps best of all, it's free. The first issue is presented right here so you can flip through it right now. You can return to it any time you want to, and you can even download it, though it really works best on the issuu.com platform.
What's more, you can subscribe for free and get it delivered into your email inbox every time it comes out. That'll be four times a year.
So, what's in it? This first issue has a cover article with advice about building your collection. It's by Richard Oates, a retired educator who now has a business selling antiquarian books. He has been at it quite a few years and has picked up quite a bit of experience along the way. You get to benefit from his experience because he's willing to share some of what he's learned.
That's actually the case of everyone who has contributed to this first issue of the magazine. These are people who, like you, have an abiding interest in some aspect of old and collectible books, antique maps, prints, and all kinds of other printed material. They revel in it. For most, it's a hobby that turned into a business; an avocation that they have no intention of stopping. They're also people who are willing to share what they know with people who also have an abiding interest in these subjects. In short, they're generous -- with their knowledge and with their time.
You’ll find articles about collecting some unique genres. For instance, Black urban literature that came up in the mid-1960s, early Americana items produced as a growing nation began to figure out its new life, a perhaps obscure teen sleuth who’s much more realistic than Nancy Drew, fine art prints (often derived from old books). There’s even an article about what to do if you’ve been collecting for a long time ,or suddenly acquired an extensive collection, and need to get rid of it.
There’s also a fun piece by the authors of a new murder mystery novel set at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair (It’s fiction, of course.) Authors Charlene Ball and Libby Ware are also booksellers at the Florida show, so they know whereof they speak.
We sincerely hope you'll get something out of this endeavor -- that it will enrich your life just a little.
You’ll find this information in the magazine, but we’ll put it here, too. Write us at the magazine for any reason — if you like it, if you don’t, if you have an idea you’d like to share: bookloversparadisemagazine@gmail.com.
Our guest is Richard Oates, retired educator and bookseller, who owns Blind Horse Books in DeLand, Florida. Richard shares for co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn some of the remarkable Florida ephemera he’s bringing to the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair this year, including several beautifully preserved late-1890s and 1920s brochures and other travel-related items from Florida resorts.
A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please SHARE this program with your book loving friends. If this is the first time you've watched Rare Book Cafe, let us know what you think in the comments. If you're a regular watcher, tell us in the comments how often and what you enjoy about the show.
Our Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK series offers short programs, usually on a single topic. Watch for more in the series.
Co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn are veteran antiquarian booksellers. Ed owns Montgomery Rare Books & Manuscripts, and Lee owns The Ridge Books in Calhoun, Georgia.
Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK is made possible by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, the oldest and largest rare, used, and collectible book fair in the southeastern United States. The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair will be presented March 1-3, 2024 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. More information at floridaantiquarianbookfair.com
The program also is made possible by Biblio.com, a website featuring used, rare, and out-of-print books from independent booksellers. Biblio is celebrating 20 years of serving book lovers. It’s better than ever. Biblio spotlights “the core of our business model: the independent booksellers who bring their expertise, enthusiasm, and professionalism to soon the used and rare book trade.”
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Music by Kevin MacLeod Hyperfun Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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Rare Book Cafe is a gathering of collectors and lovers of old, rare, and collectible books. It is a virtual cafe, accessible anywhere in the world, where the subjects are priceless and the conversation is free. It is truly the book lovers' rendezvous. Join us on our Facebook group Book Lovers’ Rendezvous.
Rare Book Cafe is based in Florida.
Rare Book Cafe
The Book Lovers' Rendezvous™
ouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Also as a podcast on YouTube Music
Booksellers and authors Libby Ware and Charlene Ball of Toadlily Books in Atlanta, are exhibiting at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair for the first time since they published their latest mystery novel Murder at the Book Fair.
Setting for this tale of biblio intrigue is, of course, a fictional version of the Florida show, a venue they’re quite familiar with after many years as booksellers showing their wares there.
Charlene notes that many mysteries dealing with booksellers have the characters spending little time in the store. They’re too busy out trying to solve the mystery. This book is different, weaving many books the authors like into the plot.
Libby and Charlene also talk about some of the book items they’ll be bringing to the show. Charlene specializes in children’s and illustrated classics. Libby is drawn to the occult as well as the women’s movement of 1970s and LGBTQ.
Libby has a lot of related ephemera.
Among the titles Charlene shows is a beautifully illustrated volume called Russian Wonder Tales. Another is Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1919). She also shows an oversized edition of A Child’s Garden of Verses (1900), illustrated by Ethel Mars and Maud Hunt Squire.
Libby shows a book called Witches Still Live (1926). She shows another about alchemy. In ephemera, Libby has three copies of the 19th century newspaper Banner of Light.
She also has a volume titled The Price of Salt by Claire Morgan, which was the pseudonym of novelist Patricia Highsmith.
A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please SHARE this program with your book loving friends. If this is the first time you've watched Rare Book Cafe, let us know what you think in the comments.
If you're a regular watcher, tell us in the comments how often and what you enjoy about the show.
Our Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK series offers short programs, usually on a single topic. Watch for more in the series.
Co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn are veteran antiquarian booksellers. Ed owns Montgomery Rare Books & Manuscripts (soon to be in Massachusetts), and Lee owns The Ridge Books in Calhoun, Georgia.
Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK is made possible by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, the oldest and largest rare, used, and collectible book fair in the southeastern United States. The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair will be presented March 1-3, 2024 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. More information at floridaantiquarianbookfair.com
The program also is made possible by Biblio.com, a website featuring used, rare, and out-of-print books from independent booksellers. Biblio is celebrating 20 years of serving book lovers. It’s better than ever. Biblio spotlights “the core of our business model: the independent booksellers who bring their expertise, enthusiasm, and professionalism to soon the used and rare book trade.”
**************
Music by Kevin MacLeod Hyperfun Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
**************
Rare Book Cafe is a gathering of collectors and lovers of old, rare, and collectible books. It is a virtual cafe, accessible anywhere in the world, where the subjects are priceless and the conversation is free. It is truly the book lovers' rendezvous. Join us on our Facebook group Book Lovers’ Rendezvous.
Rare Book Cafe is based in Florida.
Rare Book Cafe
The Book Lovers' Rendezvous™
YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Also as a podcast on YouTube Music
#rarebooks #collectiblebooks #ephemera #ephemeraforsale #leatherboundbooks
Bookseller and large animal veterinarian Bryan Young, owner of Grayshelf Books in Tomball, Texas, is looking forward to the upcoming Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.
He shares with co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn some of the unusual items he’s bringing to the Florida show this year. Bryan and his wife Kelly specialize in first editions and rare books.
Among the treasures Bryan and Kelly are bringing to the book fair is a signed first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in pristine condition, with the signature on a Bloomsbury book plate, as well as a good collection of other Harry Potter items. They’ll also have a complete set of the U.S. edition of the Harry Potter series.
They also will bring a copy of Stephen King’s The Stand in very fine condition with its own beautiful clamshell case. Other Stephen King titles will also be in their offerings.
And, finally, Bryan shows a first UK edition of To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) with a typed letter signed by Harper Lee. Bryan says the author’s letter mentions what a difference the publication of the book made in her life.
A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please SHARE this program with your book loving friends. If this is the first time you've watched Rare Book Cafe, let us know what you think in the comments. If you're a regular watcher, tell us in the comments how often and what you enjoy about the show.
Our Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK series offers short programs, usually on a single topic. Watch for more in the series.
Co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn are veteran antiquarian booksellers.
Ed owns Montgomery Rare Books & Manuscripts (soon to be located in Massachusetts), and Lee owns The Ridge Books in Calhoun, Georgia.
Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK is made possible by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, the oldest and largest rare, used, and collectible book fair in the southeastern United States. The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair will be presented March 1-3, 2024 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. More information at floridaantiquarianbookfair.com
The program also is made possible by Biblio.com, toa website featuring used, rare, and out-of-print books from independent booksellers. Biblio is celebrating 20 years of serving book lovers. It’s better than ever. Biblio spotlights “the core of our business model: the independent booksellers who bring their expertise, enthusiasm, and professionalism to soon the used and rare book trade.”
**************
Music by Kevin MacLeod Hyperfun Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
**************
Rare Book Cafe is a gathering of collectors and lovers of old, rare, and collectible books. It is a virtual cafe, accessible anywhere in the world, where the subjects are priceless and the conversation is free. It is truly the book lovers' rendezvous. Join us on our Facebook group Book Lovers’ Rendezvous.
Rare Book Cafe is based in Florida.
Rare Book Cafe
The Book Lovers' Rendezvous™
YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Also as a podcast on YouTube Music
Rare Book Cafe regular Barbara Loe, owner of Cardtique LLC in Osprey, Florida, shares some of the paper items she’s bringing to the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.
Among the items Barbara shows to co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn are:
• A hidden image of Napoleon Bonaparte on a tourist card from St. Helena, the island off the coast of Africa, where the French emperor was exiled, and eventually died.
• A diecut accordion storyboard of the children’s tale Hansel and Gretel that was created as an advertising piece for C.D. Kenny, a Baltimore tea and coffee importer.
• A friendship token hair memorial from the mid-1800s.
• An intricate multi-fold Rose of Canada greeting card.
• A brightly colored promotional hand fan for Le Bon Marche, the legendary Paris department store. It was printed by chromolithography, a once-popular printing method that produced brilliant and beautiful scenes.
• An elaborately designed party invitation.
A SPECIAL REQUEST: Please SHARE this program with your book loving friends. If this is the first time you've watched Rare Book Cafe, let us know what you think in the comments. If you're a regular watcher, tell us in the comments how often and what you enjoy about the show.
Our Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK series offers short programs, usually on a single topic. Watch for more in the series.
Co-hosts Ed Markiewicz and Lee Linn are veteran antiquarian booksellers. Ed owns Montgomery Rare Books & Manuscripts (soon to be located in Massachusetts) and Lee owns The Ridge Books in Calhoun, Georgia.
Rare Book Cafe COFFEE BREAK is made possible by the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, the oldest and largest rare, used, and collectible book fair in the southeastern United States. The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair will be presented March 1-3, 2024 at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. More information at floridaantiquarianbookfair.com
The program also is made possible by Biblio.com, a website featuring used, rare, and out-of-print books from independent booksellers. Biblio is celebrating 20 years of serving book lovers. It’s better than ever. Biblio spotlights “the core of our business model: the independent booksellers who bring their expertise, enthusiasm, and professionalism to soon the used and rare book trade.”
**************
Music by Kevin MacLeod Hyperfun Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
**************
Rare Book Cafe is a gathering of collectors and lovers of old, rare, and collectible books. It is a virtual cafe, accessible anywhere in the world, where the subjects are priceless and the conversation is free. It is truly the book lovers' rendezvous. Join us on our Facebook group Book Lovers’ Rendezvous.
Rare Book Cafe is based in Florida.
Rare Book Cafe
The Book Lovers' Rendezvous™
YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Also as a podcast on YouTube Music
