Sandy and Beth at the show
Sitting at the St. Albans City Hall on a rainy Sunday morning, I feel relaxed and satisfied. The Vermont Antiquarian Book Association’s Spring Show is back. Like many public events, it’s been years! Beth and I spent most of Friday getting ready, rifling our store shelves, and selecting books for the show. We chose books that we thought were nteresting, unusual, collectible, appealing to other dealers. We brought book stands, bookends, and browsers of prints. First editions, signed copies, collectible series. We brought books we wanted to show people. We lugged oversized framed and signed Chris Van Allsburg prints, handprinted broadsides by A Revolutionary Press, The Rochester Community Cookbook (a recent fundraising project for our town library), and Judy Jensen’s new and locally celebrated children’s book, “A Day on the Farm with Annabelle”.
The City Hall is perfect for our show. It’s open and fresh, accessible, and still has the trim work of a classic turn-of-the-century public building. There are not a lot of vendors but it’s fantastic to catch up with those that are in attendance. The bibliophiles and the book hounds. Trading information, seeing what other vendors specialize in, comparing prices, finding really, really, really old and rare tombs. It’s all part of the experience.
We are seeing quite a few browsers coming down the stairs into the auditorium. People of all ages, but especially young folks in their twenties and thirties. How hopeful and fabulous is that. To be in a vocation that appeals to an obviously articulate and somewhat eccentric young constituency is extremely gratifying.
I stepped out for a few and walked down Main Street to visit Donna’s store, The Eloquent Page. The store is wonderful. I love the integration of new, used, and very old throughout all the sections of the store. I love the fabulous section on pagan and witchy titles. And the Vermont section is big and broadly stocked. Lots of books for teen readers. And a free book cart out front. Thank you, Donna, for organizing and hosting our show.
The afternoons wanes. We’ve done pretty well. A certain sleepiness is settling over the entire hall. Or maybe it’s just me. I might have to go raid the basket of gorgeous and delectable pastries leftover from this morning’s pre-fair complementary breakfast table. And hot tea. Get my mojo going for the exercise of packing up and getting us back home to Rochacha. But………… we’ll be back!
