See a first edition of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” plus a myriad “Frankenstein” editions and collectibles (Photo – UC Riverside Library).
Pasadena will host one of the nation’s largest rare book exhibition where thousands of book lovers, dealers, and scholars will converge at the 51st California International Antiquarian Book Fair.
The Book Fair will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with a special exhibit spotlighting holdings from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Occidental College Library’s Ned Guymon Mystery and Detective Fiction Collection, University of California Riverside Library’s Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Sara Karloff, the daughter of Boris Karloff.
Visitors will get the opportunity to see, learn about and purchase the finest in rare books, manuscripts, autographs, graphics, photographs at the bi-annual fair.
What to expect
The weekend extravaganza of books will feature 200 booksellers from the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) and International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and will include talks and seminars including a session on the basics of collecting. Two sessions on Saturday will be devoted to Frankenstein.
Professor of Communication at Simmons College (Library and Information Science at Simmons and at the University of Illinois) Sidney Berger will discuss the character in visual culture. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan will moderate It’s Alive: How Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Changed the World with panelists Miranda Butler, scholar of 19th Century literature, science, and technology; David J. Skal, historian and writer on horror literature and film and author of The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror; and Sara Karloff, the daughter of film’s most famous portrayer of Frankenstein’s monster.
Free examination
Discovery Day on Sunday lets attendees present three items to experts for free examination. Designed with the budding collector in mind, Book Fair Finds is a program in which dealers spotlight items priced at $100 or less.
The Book Fair takes place at the Pasadena Convention Center. Tickets on Friday, February 9 are $25 for three-day admission. Proceeds from Friday tickets benefit and offer free admission to the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in February. Tickets on Saturday or Sunday are $15 and include return entry and free admission to the Huntington during the Fair.
Source: Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America
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