As I am accustomed to doing, I must apologize for the delay in posting the fair wrap-up. The ‘why’ of it should be clear as I flesh out the how and when of it all. Sunday at the Park Ave. Armory was great fun. Unlike many fairs, where Sunday drags on with few humans and little energy, this past one was active and interesting all day. I did manage to have a bit of time to actually get around to some (but not all) of the booths I had been intending to visit all weekend…but I also was surprisingly busy. Our first NYC “big show” was three years ago at what I think is universally considered the worst year for the fair in recent memory–we were pleased to make it through that show in the black. I am pleased to say that our Sunday sales pretty much equally our first first year total. It really was, on all fronts, a great fair. I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make it possible, especially Sandy Smith and his team and Susan Benne, et al.

The ‘shadow show’ was proved itself a great trip. I have to admit that between the broken toe and inability to speak I was not hugely excited to make the trek over. Suz and Brian proved convincing, however, and I am extremely pleased I gave in. Above and beyond another room full of interest books, some of my favorite humans were in attendance. I was able to catch up with old friends like The Dennae (First Folio) were there (barely, as they just managed to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in their home), as was Melissa Sanders, Kent, and Katie (Ken Sanders Rare Books), and Roland and Tina (Panoply Books). Perhaps best of all was finally seeking Molly Sacamano (late of Royal Books) who not too long ago returned to her roots in the West and opened her own shop, Iron Wheel Books. She came with a wonderful stock of fine press and artists’ books…several of which I left with (and all of which I sold pretty much immediately…clearly I should have bought more).

Packing up was as wretched as always. We used our usual method of slow plodding to great effect. By the time we were done, most everyone else had left, there was not line to get in and it was as painless as possible. We made it down to my sister’s in NJ with time for tea and a bit of relaxing..much needed as I was far from done on this trip.

Now any rational human would take a day or two following the intense chaos that is the NY ABAA fair and relax a bit…ship sold items, write thank you notes, etc. I, in a fit of brilliance, scheduled additional meetings “down that way”. Thus I woke at 5:30am in NJ, shifted the load a bit in the van, and hit the road for a day trip to Washington, DC to deliver some books to the LC (happily still functioning after a bit of a ‘shutdown scare’) and to deliver an archive to Georgetown Special Collections in hopes that they couldn’t resist its riches. While 10 or so hours of driving were rather painful (physically and emotionally), visiting humans I like a great deal was good fun and the archive did not come home with me (thus making my wife extremely pleased).

Having returned to NJ rather late, I still managed to hit the road reasonably early Tuesday morning to begin our journey home…but not before one more stop. Marvin Taylor (another of my most favorite Special Collections Librarians) had been overseas during the book fair and I had some trinkets that I thought might make him happy…and he was kind enough to set aside a bit of time (no small matter as he had just returned from 10 days away). Suzanne and I had a good meeting with Marvin and Charlotte at NYU’s Fales Library and managed to leave with less than we arrived with…though the meter violation was a bummer.

We arrived home late Tuesday and I have pretty much spent the rest of the time sleeping, unpacking, and shipping books. Around the corner we have the Boston Book and Paper Expo (a MARIAB event) on May 7th. This should be plenty to keep me busy…especially with that interesting egg-laying-bunny holiday in between…but no. I had two or three people talk with me about the Paris book fair while in NYC, that I should attend and meet some particular people, etc…and I have some books to pick up in Paris that will be easier to travel with than to ship…so I’ve booked an impromptu trip to Paris to attend the International Antiquarian Book Fair at the Grand Palais. I might have to do a photographic “compare and contrast” of the Salon du Livre Ancien de Paris and the Boston Book and Paper Expo. We shall see. All I know is that I am inexplicably busy…and not complaining one bit.