Coming Events
Rare Book Week West
“This is our tenth year and we are hosting fine art presses from countries we have never seen before at CODEX: Japan, Korea, and Chile, for example, and there are over fifty new presses joining us for the first time from Mexico City to Sydney and beyond,” said Peter Koch, founder of the CODEX Foundation. “This will be the largest event we have ever hosted.”
Onsite exhibitions at this year’s CODEX fair include the Pantone Postcard exhibit, a display of a series of Pantone Postcards re-envisioned by book artists; a selection of Mexican artists’ books coupled with a talk by the cultural attaché from Guadalajara; and a display of illustrator and typographer Otto Rohse’s work.
In addition to the exhibitions, a major symposium will be held on February 9-10. A ticket for that costs $250, but a four-day pass to the fair is included.
“At the CODEX symposium we will have the world famous bibliophile and essayist Alberto Manguel and the legendary curator Roberto Trujillo from Stanford University as our keynote speakers,” said Koch. “Additionally our line-up of artists is absolutely tops, including Carolee Campbell, Sam Winston, Ines von Ketelhodt, and Ken Botnick.”
“There has never been a better time for the book than the present moment and the choices are absolutely mind-expanding,” said Koch. He added, “Valentine’s Day in Berkeley is cherry blossom time and that should be enticement enough to bring out our snowbound friends from the Northern climes.”
While You’re There…
Auctions
In addition to its usual Thursday auction schedule, PBA Galleries will host a rare books & manuscripts benefit auction at the California ABAA book fair. The sale will be held on Sunday, February 8, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Oakland Marriott.
On Monday, February 9 at 11 a.m., Bonhams will offer “Important Western Americana: Property of a California Collector.” Previews run February 6-9.
Heritage Auctions will hold its Rare Books Signature Auction in Beverly Hills on February 3, featuring everything from incunabula to inscribed modern first editions.
Exhibits & Events
Through March 8 at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum, see an exhibit on children’s books author J. Otto Seibold, whose Mr. Lunch books are among the first children’s books designed using computer software.
The Book Club of California is hosting “A City Built on Books: Pedro Mendoza and the Founding of Buenos Aires,” an illustrated talk by Alberto Manguel, Monday, February 9, 5-7 p.m.
Bookish Browsing
Tours and demonstrations of the historic printing and bookmaking facilities of San Francisco’s Arion Press and the historic typefoundry of M & H Type are held Thursday afternoons at 3:30 p.m.
Have an authentic 19th-century bookbindery experience at the American Bookbinders Museum in San Francisco.
Don’t miss a chance to browse San Francisco’s City Lights bookstore, founded in 1953 by Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin.
*See more at rarebookweekwest.org.