It is no coincidence that the Boston Book and Ephemera Fair featuring world-class antique books and important works on paper is happening in one of America's most historically important towns, Lexington, Mass. The show will take place at Minuteman Regional Technical High School at 758 Marrett Road (Route 2A) on Sunday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is just a day before Patriot's Day on the 18th. It is the first time that this family-friendly and exciting annual event will be held at this convenient and easy-to-navigate venue.
The Boston Book and Ephemera Fair will feature 50 top-tier dealers specializing in a full spectrum of antique books and quality ephemera. Ephemera are items made from paper that were not made to stand the test of time and have since become collectible. Popular ephemera categories include correspondence, advertising, historical documents, posters, tickets, brochures, and cards, among other things. Many dealers at this show are members of the Southern New England Antiquarian Booksellers, a professional society advocating the study, preservation, and celebration of fine books and ephemera in a wide range of specialties.
Attending this show is like touring a world-class history museum and experiencing time travel simultaneously. A show highlight will be a small piece of wallpaper removed from the booth in Ford's Theatre after Lincoln was assassinated. And collectors interested in Shaker history will find a circa 1900 sheet of decals used on Mount Lebanon, N.Y., Shaker chairs and three circa 1850 Enfield, N.H., Shaker seed packets.
Visitors who are interested in Lexington’s role in the Revolutionary War will find volumes of materials at this fair. A ship's registration, signed by then-Governor John Hancock, attesting that the boat was not owned by British subjects, will undoubtedly hold water with many attendees.
A 1902 pamphlet from the Lexington Historical Society titled “Guide Book to the Hancock-Clarke House” and a 1946 pamphlet of Helen Clark Fernald's “Sketches of Old Lexington” will render the past to life in the most authentic ways possible and will be offered for sale. A 1915 program from an event titled “Pageant of Lexington, Commemorating a Century of Peace between the United States and England in aid of the American Red Cross” just might set off fireworks with local history buffs. This century-old time capsule also features advertisements from area merchants and services of the time.
“I am delighted to welcome first-time and repeat attendees to this can't-miss show. Collectors and enthusiasts will appreciate our new venue in Lexington, which is conveniently located, welcoming and accessible, and offers ample free parking. Our sponsors, Southern New England Antiquarian Booksellers, will have visually stunning antique books and ephemera on display and available for purchase. If extraordinary vintage books or printed paper materials have ever caught your eye, I would strongly encourage you to attend this event. You just may leave with a new collecting passion," said Marvin Getman, show producer.
Tickets at the door will be $8. Students with ID and children 18 years of age and under accompanied by an adult may enter free of charge.
For additional information, visit www.bookandpaperfairs.com.