Set up and ready in Boston...

Some people can set up a booth at a book fair in a hour or less. I am not one of them. Today, I managed to take approximately EIGHT hours to set up. While I did kibitz a bit and took a short break for lunch, setup took pretty much from 10:30 to 6:30.

The booth, however, looks pretty good. I've included images that show both "sides" and two close-ups. One of our display case with some wonderful work by a fine binder and a book artist I am working with (more on both shortly).

We ended up requesting an additional 6 foot table because our booth (a double (which inexplicably only meant one extra table)) was so wide that it seemed like it would work well...and did. We have a lot of large illustrated material and it is letting us show these pieces "open".

The last image is of the top shelf of the Rockwell Kent section. It came out unusually presentable and I wanted to capture it before I forgot (or, god forbid, someone buys something). The Architectonics (center frame with the spectacular pub. binding (and DJ)) is one of my all time favorite items. A gem regardless, this is inscribed by Rockwell Kent with the sub-line, "My first job as an illustrator." I had a lovely first trade of Moby Dick to go with the Lakeside Press edition, but it has found another home...

Setup continues tomorrow morning at 7am and the show opens in earnest tomorrow at 10am and runs until 7pm. On Sunday it is open from 10am to 5pm. Then, of course, we've the pleasure of packing up. I am increasingly convinced that shows of less than 2 days don't make a great deal of sense for us. There are, of course, exceptions...but by an large, the longer a show is open, the happier I am...

Packing should be a treat as well. We are staying over on Sunday so I can meet with some clients on Monday, so there will be no rush. However, I think we are going to pack with the idea that we will *not* have to unpack everything before the NY show April 20-21 (nice, at two days, but I am looking forward to joining the ABAA picking up an extra day or so.

I'll try to update as the weekend unfolds. Please stop by if you are in Boston. The usual blueberry jam offer is open to the first non-dealer who stops by and mentions the blog. Happy book-hunting, where-ever you are.