Enjoy this catalogue which aims to give you a glimpse into the life of an architectural historian and an inquisitive mind. Some of the items in this list were originally bought from me in the 1980s when, often in the company of Nicholas Long, and Alan Powers, he was a regular visitor to the book fairs, held by the PBFA at the Russell Hotel, London; events long passed into oblivion. Other items are from earlier periods and indeed later ones. It will include samples of his own original design work and writings, as well as books, pamphlets and journals which supported his projects, his campaigns for conservation, architectural history and photographic research interests.
For a copy email us or sign up on our website for newsletters. This material will be issued as a paper catalogue and should be out in early November.
We will be there again this year with our specialist stock on art, architecture, design, gardens and photography. We are looking forward to welcoming all our regular customers and extend a warm welcome to those coming as part of The Association Internationale de Bibliophilie group who are visiting the York Fair as part of their Colloquium will take place in Durham and York this year. We have some fascinating material of all periods associated with design so hope to see you at the fair. Tickets are complimentary at www.yorkbookfair.com or from our bookshop or indeed any bookshop in the city. This is me so you will recognise me at the fair!
We have always sold garden design books at the business and so we are excited to be part of the upcoming weekend events being held in York to celebrate 250 Years of the Ancient Society of York Florists, the oldest society of its kind in the world and which has been important keeping fashionable flowers in the public eye through its shows. Our contribution to this celebration is an art show in collaboration with Lotte Inch Gallery “The Ephemeral Nature of Flowers”. This is the first collaboration between our enterprises. Part I, at Lotte’s gallery features wonderful work of the acclaimed artist Rebecca Louise Law. At no 8, next door, in Part II, there is a mixed art show of contemporary and recent artists who have used flowers as their subject. Artists include Barnett Freedman, John Nash and Derrick Greaves among others. There are also wonderful photographs by Peter Heaton, whose suite of work here is inspired by Karl Blossfeldt. Come along and look. The Bloom Festival runs 5-8 July. The bookshop show, along with Lotte Inch’s show runs to 28th July.
I recall that, when I first started selling books, a client asked for trade catalogues by Gerald Summers and “Makers of Simple Furniture”. I have to admit that I have never found one in the years I have been selling books but keep on looking and I have come across adverts and references to this firm and its founder, Gerald Summers, who seems to have known more that most about how to make a chair or table from plywood. Renowned for his ability to construct from a single sheet of birch plywood a chair and make all kinds of furniture from the product, his furniture rather that his name and that of his wife and partner Marjorie Summers, is more often recognized and associated with art deco, Alvar Aalto and the concept of “Furniture from Machines”, popularized by the book by Gordon Logie of that name.
Now a new generation Furniture Company “1934” run by Abel Sloane and Ruby Woodhouse have produced a beautifully crafted book with photographic illustrations of some of the main pieces made by the firm. This lovely books is for sale at our shop and can be sent out to you if you would like a copy. Please contact us directly to make an order.
It is almost time to turn our view south to London and the Rare Book Week events. We will be exhibiting at Battersea Evolution, set in Battersea Park. For me, with keen interest in public parks and their future, its is exciting to be moving from Olympia to this wonderful green space in London. Visit the fair and explore the park at the same time. The park has a long history. It was established in 1858 on marshy ground known as Battersea Fields, of which 198 acres became Battersea Park and the remainder was let on building leases. The park was laid out by Sir James Pennethorne between 1846 and 1864 Subsequently it has hosted many events including the gardens for the Festival of Britain in 1951. In 2002-4 the park underwent a £11 million overhaul with funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund but sadly the scheme which funded the repairs has been now abandoned. But don’t abandon the park, nor the book fair. Come and visit us at Battersea. Free tickets from www.rarebookfairlondon.com
This year we have been moving our store room which supports our bookshop. Lots of titles have come to light that were at the bottom of piles of books on the floor there. Some of these are now featuring in our two most recent lists respectively on Landscape Design and Housing. The latter formed our list 100. I can hardly believe we have produced so many lists over the years of trading. You can find both these lists on the Catalogue section of the website.
We are also planning to be out and about in April with a visit to the Oxford Book Fair which is being held in a smart new hall at the Headington Campus on Saturday 21st April and Sunday 22nd April. Come along if you live in striking distance as it is always good for us to put names to faces.
We continue to seek unusual books for sale. We are looking for trade catalogues for stained glass windows in particular to add to a collection of trade material produced in the 19th century which will be a short specialist list issued in May or June.
We are attending the Cambridge Book fair on the 16th and 17th February which we hope to see you at should you be in the area. The shop in York has a BOOK SALE throughout January where all books in the shop are 25% off the price if under £50.00 – there are 1000s to chose from so come along. In the shop on 20th January 2018 2-4pm we are holding a book signing for Rita Wood, a York author who has produced a new book on Romanesque Sculpture. Come along if you are in York that afternoon and there will be wine and nibbles. Our shop is always cosy on a winter afternoon and we will make you welcome.
Our Christmas selection of books, bits and bobs are now on sale in the bookshop and both the shop and street are taking on a festive air. The street is looking particularly great with swags of fairy lights outside all the shops along Bootham, which is an initiative of all the independent shops and cafés around us. So please do come and visit us if you are in York and see what we have on our shelves. For those of you not able to come to the shop we have made a Christmas list of gift books and any of these can be sent to you post free and even gift wrapped. This is in the catalogues section of the website, please have a look.
AND AFTER
The 13th of January is a date to reserve in your diary as it is date of the York One Day Book Fair. This is the sister event to the York Book Fair held in September each year. We will be exhibiting there and this event kicks off the season for book sales and our busiest season. Whilst others slumber through January we will be leaping to action producing catalogues and lists for sale. 2018 seems only a blink away.
Seasons greeting to any of you reading this news item about our bookshop.
The summer season is drawing to a close and September for us is always busy. We will be welcoming the Society of Architectural Historians to York next weekend and have been putting together some titles for a bookstall for their conference. Then it is the York National Book Fair in the middle of the month 15th-16th September. This is the largest book fair in Britain with 224 exhibitors, related trade stands and so on. It always has a festival atmosphere. We are also launching our new catalogue on “Traditional Building Skills” which is a catalogue made up of titles collected by two members of the Anelay family in York who ran a specialist building firm up until last year and was highly regarded for its skills in building conservation.
To cap it all we have been selected as Yale’s Bookshop of the Month which will allow us to discount all Yale Representation titles to our customers. Just a few things to keep us busy after the lazy days of summer.
Please call and see us at 8 Bootham, York. We will make you welcome… finally our bags are back in stock. Buy a book and get a bag for free.
Visit our bookshop if you are in York. We will make you welcome. The walls are decked with lovely prints and architectural drawings and the shelves packed with books on art, architecture, design and photography. Our bookshop is just around the corner form York City Art Gallery in a location where there are lots of other independent shops. Drop by and see us.
Fine and rare books on Art + Architecture York England
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list were originally bought from me in the 1980s when, often in the company of Nicholas Long, and Alan Powers, he was a regular visitor to the book fairs, held by the PBFA at the Russell Hotel, London; events long passed into oblivion. Other items are from earlier periods and indeed later ones. It will include samples of his own original design work and writings, as well as books, pamphlets and journals which supported his projects, his campaigns for conservation, architectural history and photographic research interests.
