The Dallas Antiquarian Book Fair To Bring George Washington Letters, First Editions, and Other Sought-After Rarities to North Texas

In the world of antiquarian book sales, Peter Harrington is a global leader.

The London-based bookstore garnered national attention three years ago when it sold a 1623 Shakespeare First Folio for $7.5 million, illustrating the upper reaches of the rare book market, senior rare book specialist Eric Pedersen tells PaperCity.

“Rare books can easily reach mid- to high-six figures and the low-seven figures,” he says, noting the exceptional completeness of that First Folio.

To qualify for a place in Peter Harrington’s coveted inventory, books typically must be first editions, in exceptional condition, complete, and sought after by collectors. Rarity alone, as Sotheby’s recently noted, does not necessarily equal value.

“Many of our buyers view these purchases as a ‘passion investment,’ ” Pedersen says. “We recommend collecting books because you love them. It should be something that’s important to you if you’re going to spend that kind of money.”

Many of Peter Harrington’s most coveted books and letters — including a first edition of Euclid’s Elements — are making their way to Dallas starting Friday, July 31, as part of the Dallas Antiquarian Book Fair at Half Price Books in Carrollton. Other rare works include a signed George Washington letter, an inscribed first edition of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, Richard Nixon’s The Real War inscribed to Gerald Ford, and a first edition of Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot.

A Day in the Life of a Rare Book Specialist

Pedersen, who holds a degree in U.S. history and a graduate degree in 20th-century American literature, says his real training has been “on the job.” The common denominator among rare book specialists is a love of books.

“When I started in this field, I thought I knew a lot about books, but what I really knew about was the people who wrote them,” he says. “You need to know a lot more than that to be successful in the rare book world. After 20 years, I’m learning new things every day.”

News of the discovery of a historical letter, book, or document could prompt Pedersen to catch a flight immediately to examine the piece for possible inclusion in Peter Harrington’s inventory. Part of his job entails cultivating relationships with collectors or potential buyers. His first question for potential clients is never about money or budgets. Instead, he asks about their favorite book, sparking conversations that could ultimately lead to a rare book finding a new home.

Accompanying Pedersen at the Dallas Antiquarian Book Fair will be a trove of rare documents and books, including:

• Alan Turing’s Faster Than Thought: One of the earliest accessible books on electronic computing, featuring one of Turing’s final published essays and predicting the coming “second Industrial Revolution” driven by computers.
• Joseph Heller commission: The Army commission appointing Heller a second lieutenant, along with wartime documents he later annotated. His experiences as a bombardier would inspire Catch-22.
• Richard Nixon’s The Real War: Signed by Nixon and inscribed to President Gerald Ford, who signed it beneath Nixon’s inscription. It’s a remarkable artifact documenting one of the most consequential political relationships in modern American history.

These and other works range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. While multimillion-dollar sales of Shakespeare’s First Folio can make the rare book market seem out of reach, Pedersen says historically significant books and documents are often available for just a few thousand dollars.

Rare Texas Finds and Recent Trends in the Antiquarian Book Market

Texas highlights at the book fair will include an inscribed first edition of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. Published in 1985 but set along the Texas-Mexico border in 1849 and 1850, the novel explores the violence of America’s westward expansion and is widely regarded as a modern reimagining of the Western myth. The signed first edition is priced at $44,000.

Collector demand drives the rare book market as much as any other factor, he adds, with science fiction, LGBTQ-related works and African Americana among the categories attracting increased interest. Many Texas buyers are interested in works tied to the state’s history, as well as literature connected to Texas and the American West.

“Dallas has a lot of great private collectors,” he says. “We’re looking forward to meeting or reconnecting with them next week. My favorite part about this job is talking with people who love books. I’m going to go have great conversations with people I’ve never met, and the one thing we’ll have in common is a love of books.”

The Dallas Antiquarian Book Fair takes place from July 31 through August 2. Afterwards, make a day of it and visit Bird’s Bookstore or one of the other 10 Best Bookstores in Dallas.