Antiquarian Booksellers Association
A trade body for the UK’s antiquarian and rare book dealers, the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA) was founded in 1906. It runs the annual London International Antiquarian Book Fair at Olympia as well as the Chelsea Book Fair, with other events organised throughout the UK by the Provincial Book Fairs Association (PBFA).
ABA works closely with the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the umbrella organisation for 32 countries.
![Chelsea Books](/media/8660/chelsea-books-2267dd-10-11-16.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462557680000000)
ABA reports 50% rise in sales during their annual Chelsea Book Fair
10 November 2016The Chelsea Book Fair, which closed November 5 after a two-day run, has reported an increase in sales of nearly 50% on last year’s fair.
![ILAB Leaders](/media/8511/ilab-2265nedi-27-10-16.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462557620000000)
ILAB elects new members of its international leadership committee
27 October 2016The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) elected a new president and vice-president at their recent biannual OGM.
![London International Antiquarian Book Fair](/media/7444/london-international-antiquarian-book-fair-2245bp01a-13-06-16.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462557130000000)
Book dealers in ‘paradise’ – party photos from 59th edition of London fair
13 June 2016The 59th London International Antiquarian Book Fair (or “book paradise” as described by author Mark Beech in an admiring Facebook post), drew more than 180 book dealers to Olympia. View ATG's exclusive photogallery from the drinks reception held at the end of the fair’s second day.
BADA and ABA will ‘work towards closer cooperation’
27 May 2016The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) and the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) have announced plans to create a ‘memorandum of understanding’ between the two venerable trade bodies.
![15-05-142142ABHITCHCOCK.jpg](/media/1654/15-05-142142abhitchcock.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462558370000000)
Dressed to kill
15 May 2014This bizarrely dressed young man is the 23-year-old Alfred Hitchock, the film director who went on to make Psycho, North by North West, The Birds and Vertigo.
ABA bid to trace serial forger’s work
05 November 2012The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association is taking the fight to forgers after one of its members was instrumental in bringing serial forger Allan Formhals to justice.
![2012DD05B.jpg](/media/3590/2012dd05b.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462559620000000)
Book dealers with a light touch – but business at the fair is serious
18 October 2011YOU get the impression that the Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair does not take itself too seriously – the opening page of the website bears the famous Groucho Marx quotation: "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
ABA name new leaders
03 May 2011THE Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA) has held its first ever contested election for the posts of president and vice president in its 105-year history.
![1917NE03X.jpg](/media/4147/1917ne03x.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462560070000000)
ABA mourn their president
23 November 2009ONLY three weeks after it was announced that Antiquarian Booksellers Association president Alan Shelley was standing down because of ill health, we are sorry to report that he has passed away.
Shelley steps down as president of ABA
09 November 2009ALAN Shelley has decided that he can no longer continue as Antiquarian Booksellers Association president owing to illness.
Oxfam defiant over attack by antiquarian book trade
28 September 2009OXFAM remain defiant in the face of criticism from the antiquarian book trade who say the charity is threatening their livelihoods.
![1894NE01A.jpg](/media/4232/1894ne01a.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462560100000000)
Ulysses sold for £275,000 at Olympia
08 June 2009THERE were notable sales in the first hour of the two fairs which opened at Olympia in West London last Thursday.
ABA steps up efforts to resolve Slade affair
26 May 2009THE Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) has stepped up its efforts to recover books stolen by its former president, David Slade, from Sir Evelyn de Rothschild.
Former ABA president jailed over book thefts
16 February 2009A FORMER president of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association has admitted stealing dozens of books from Sir Evelyn de Rothschild valued at a total of around £230,000.
ABA mark their centenary with a rather saucy publication of their own… and it’s a hit
16 April 2007A surprisingly saucy book commissioned by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA) to celebrate their centenary has become an unlikely hit, and is having to be reprinted to meet demand.
![1780FM01.jpg](/media/4544/1780fm01.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462560280000000)
Booksellers turn to Edinburgh
06 March 2007FOR the third successive year, dealers from the UK’s two major antiquarian bookselling organisations, ABA and PBFA have combined forces at the Edinburgh Book Fair which this year takes place on March 23 and 24 in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms.
Trade remove 1m books in online protest
24 April 2006...but Web provider still won’t budge on credit card charges
April Fool’s Day boycott planned against ABE credit card charges
03 April 2006Book buyers on the internet are likely to face higher prices when the Advanced Book Exchange introduces new charges to booksellers on April 3.
![1679DD01C.jpg](/media/5111/1679dd01c.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131462561110000000)
Books patron Paxman
01 March 2005PRESENTER and interviewer Jeremy Paxman, pictured right, has agreed to be the patron of this year’s Antiquarian Book Fair, which will be held at Olympia in West London from June 9 to 12.
Book trade hits back over court broadside
04 January 2005THE Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association has hit back at criticism levelled at the trade in a court case involving a serial thief of valuable maps.
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