Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America

Founded 1949 as a professional association for antiquarian booksellers in the United States.

In the years immediately following the end of World War II, antiquarian book dealers in a number of European countries formed national associations and in 1947 came together to establish the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). In this spirit of cooperation, some fifty members of the antiquarian booktrade met 1949 Feb. 24 at the Grolier Club in New York City and founded the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA) to "further friendly relations and a cooperative spirit among members," to work for the benefit of the trade, and to explain its work to the public. Laurence J. Gomme, head of the Rare Book and Binding Department of Brentanos, was elected president at the first annual meeting in March 1949 and the organization was incorporated in May 1949. By the time of the first annual meeting in September 1949, the new organization had nearly 200 members and tripled this figure by the late 1990s. Regional chapters were established in 1949. Since the 1960s many of these have sponsored book fairs; the first ABAA sponsored Book Fair opened in New York City in April 1950. The Antiquarian Book Center (ABC) opened under the sponsorship of the Middle Atlantic Chapter on the concourse of Rockefeller Center in 1963. For over two decades ABC sponsored cooperative catalogs, exhibitions of members' stock, and lecture programs and served the trade through referrals. In 1951 members created the Antiquarian Booksellers Benevolent Fund, which makes grants of temporary assistance to members.

The ABAA Bylaw revision of April 1984 made clear that membership resides in an individual actively engaged as a controlling owner in an antiquarian bookselling business. The ABAA publishes a membership directory and a Newsletter for members. Over the years the ABAA has also issued individual publications as well as the journal, The professional rare book seller (1979-1987).

From the description of Records, 1949- (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122682373