News, Features & Interviews

Our News page includes interviews with librarians, book dealers and others from the book trade, as well as details on events, announcements and developments from the literary world.

View the latest Stories below, or search for past entries.

  • Neil Pearson Interview - Performance Catalogue

    Interview

    This week Silke Lohmann has interviewed Neil Pearson about his latest catalogue, which covers the great and the good in the performing arts. It's a catalogue co-production by Neil Pearson Rare Books and Thomas Carter Rare Books and here Neil describes some of the highlights.

    Neil, congratulations on your latest catalogue, which certainly covers...

  • Shapero Catalogue Interview

    This week Silke spoke with Laura Massey about her first catalogue since she joined Shapero Rare Books to set up the Science department. Science and Medicine features 110 items spanning several subjects including Islamic Manuscripts, Sir Francis Bacon, Anatomy, Earth Science, Evolution, Mathematics, Astronomy and more.

     

    Laura, you've managed...

  • Firsts 2025 Highlights

    Books in Bloom is this year's theme for Firsts London, the UK's leading international rare book fair at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea from 15th to 18th May 2025, with over 100 dealers from around the world bringing a wide range of rare books, manuscripts, maps and prints. Just a few days before the iconic Chelsea Flower Show starts around the...

  • Morgan Library Exhibition: Belle Da Costa Greene

    Interview

    The Book Collector interviews Philip Palmer, co-curator of the Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy exhibition at The Morgan Library & Museum, open until 4th May 2025. Philip is Robert H. Taylor Curator and Department Head of Literary and Historical Manuscripts.

     

    Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy is the first exhibition...

  • David Pearson, new editor at The Book Collector

    News Story

    This week, we can share some great news – we have a new editor! Many of you will already know David Pearson, who has spent the last 40 or more years enjoying the rare book world, with 35 years working in various major research libraries in the UK. He started his career in Durham, and went on to the British Library, the National Art Library at the...

  • Unfolding Time - Interview with Sarah Griffin

    Interview

    This week Silke Lohmann caught up with Sarah Griffin, curator at Lambeth Palace Library, to discuss her latest exhibition featuring a precious collection of rare medieval folding almanacs.

    Unfolding Time is your latest exhibition, introducing us to the fascinating medieval pocket calendar. Many congratulations on putting this exhibition...

  • Fold the Corner - Interview with The Book Collector

    Interview

    This month we have been talking to two young booksellers Rebekah Cron and Mark Baczoni, who founded Fold the Corner Books. We discuss their processes for working on their catalogues, combining both old and new.

     

    1. Rebekah and Mark, you recently started Fold the Corner Books and have published four catalogues so far. You have both been...

  • It is with great sadness that we have to let you know that our much-loved editor, James Fleming, passed away last week after a sudden illness.

    James took onThe Book Collectoras proprietor in 2016 and later editor in 2018, returning the publication to the Fleming fold. He loved his work and the journal with a passion and felt very much at home...

  • The Little Red Book collection from Peter Harrington

    At Firsts Hong Kong this December, Peter Harrington is offering for sale the world’s largest and most wide-ranging collection of editions of Quotations from Chairman Mao, also known as the “Little Red Book”. Silke Lohmann spoke with their Asia Specialist, Dr Matt Wills, who has been cataloguing the collection over the past year, to find out how it...

  • News Story

    How was the fair for you? Well, book collecting can be a solitary affair: our partners may think that shelves exist for other purposes. But here everyone is on our one and only wave length. There are no spouses loitering by doorways hoping to escape, or refugees from the weather. No, at book fairs like this, the punters are like kids in a candy...