A total of £582,609 was reported on the anonymous take sheets which are issued at the end of each fair. The Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA), who organise the annual fair along with the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), also reported 89 exhibitors, more than in any previous year.
A representative of the ABA said in a statement yesterday that the results indicated an average take of £6500 for each exhibitor and a median of £4500, which is up 15.5% on last year.
Results were achieved despite a footfall on Friday which was down from last year’s numbers. However, visitor numbers on Saturday were higher than ever.
Two awards were presented during the event. Jenny Elwin of the University of St Andrew’s received the National Student Book Collecting Prize and Anthony Davis, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and founder of the Anthony Davis Book Collecting Prize, was awarded honorary ABA membership.
