Firsts Rare Bookfair returns with a floral theme

Firsts Bookfair organiser tells us all about the return one of the most popular and prestigious rare book fairs in the world

Guest blog by Stephen Foster

Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair returns to the Saatchi Gallery in Sloane Square between Friday 16 and Sunday 18 May.  It is the UK’s premium event for old and rare books but is also one of the most popular and prestigious rare book fairs in the world.

Just a short walk from Sloane Square Tube Station on the King’s Road it is housed over three floors, with some of the finest booksellers in the UK and across the globe exhibiting.

Image: 2023’s ‘Firsts’ Bookfair at the Saatchi Gallery at Sloane Square

Since 1957, the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA)  has held this annual book fair in London to promote the passion shared by dealers and collectors in the trade of rare books and Firsts London has grown in reputation and popularity over the years .

This year’s theme is Books in Bloom, and as usual, there will be some fabulous items on display, all of which can be purchased!  You will see everything from Early Herbals, Illuminated Manuscripts, and Incunabula.

There will be beautiful hand coloured Botanical books, through to fine photographic works and fine bindings whose designs have been inspired by plant life.  To follow this this year’s theme, our charity partners are the Chelsea Physic Garden.

There is much that is museum quality, and this attracts libraries and institutions from around the world to purchase for their collections.  As well as that, there is plenty on offer that will not break the bank.  Fine First Editions, classic children’s books, as well as Travel, Art, Fine Bindings.

Image: Illustrations from Floral Cabinet

Books can highlight the world of Horticulture in so many ways, via the printing processes used, with extraordinary illustration, as well as skilled craft bindings.  We will be taking the above pictured beautifully illustrated Floral Cabinet amongst others.  Published in the late 1830’s, it contains 137 fine hand-coloured plates.

Then there’s this finely bound edition of the facsimile of the illustrated work ‘Natures Notes’, which was the basis of 1977 classic, The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.

Image:Pages from Natures Notes

I’ve been a member of the ABA for 25 years and our summer bookfairs have always been a highlight of the calendar.  The Saatchi Gallery is a fantastic venue; well-lit, spacious, it provides an excellent space to allow us to show off the best of our books.

The very old and ancient are well represented at the event, but there is also the modern.  Visually stunning books, posters and fine bindings from the 20th century and to date.  First editions with their often iconic dustjacket artwork, exquisitely executed designer bookbinding.  We’ll be taking first editions; from Oscar Wilde to Martin Amis, and this scarce thing, Kurt Vonnegut’s first published book from 1953.

This Freya Stark first edition is a presentation copy to a friend who worked in ‘Colonial Administration’ in Sudan and Egypt, and contains three original handwritten letters; in one she writes ‘on the off chance’ that he may be in Cairo or Alexandria to meet up.

Image: A Freya Stark first edition and the handwritten letters it contains 

We’re offering a free entry ticket for Chiswick Calendar subscribers, you can book them here: Complimentary Firsts London Tickets.

You can also download a ticket via the link on our website which gets you in for free on all three days. You can see our website here: Foster Books.

We’ll be on stand J98, and you can view some of our highlights on the Firsts website, but we’ve also created a special catalogue of some of the books we’ll be taking which we will be adding to in the run up to the fair.

Come to see the beauties on display, stay to meet the booksellers who know and love their stock, and maybe leave with a beautiful book that sparks a collection.

Stephen Foster is the owner of Foster Books at 183 Chiswick High Rd and an organiser and committee member for Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair.

Foster Books is a member of The Chiswick Calendar’s Club Card scheme. See Stephen’s discount offer to subscribers here: Foster Books Club Card offer