BOSTON, MASS.- The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair (BIABF) will bring the rarest, most extraordinary books, manuscripts, maps, and ephemera in the world to one of America's most intellectually fierce cities. First editions that changed history. Manuscripts in the author's original hand. Maps that redrew the boundaries of the known world. Letters from poets, scientists, revolutionaries, and visionaries. All of it under one roof for one extraordinary weekend at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston’s Back Bay, November 6—8, 2026.
Sanctioned by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, this three-day event showcases books on art, design, music, science, medicine, literature, history, gastronomy, fashion, philosophy, and much more.
Booksellers who have spent their entire careers tracking down the most significant material in their fields, curious booklovers building fascinating collections, and institutions whose acquisitions will shape research for generations will converge in Boston during this three-day event. All of them in the same room, in a city that has never taken books lightly! Boston is the city of Adams and Emerson, of Thoreau and Phillis Wheatley—a place where rare books and revolutionary ideas have always gone hand in hand.
More than 110 rare book dealers from the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Serbia, Switzerland, the UK, and 24 U.S. states will exhibit an alluring treasure trove for seasoned bibliophiles and first-time attendees. Prices range from the millions to the eminently affordable. Whether immaculately preserved or intriguingly weathered, each item tells its own story. Booksellers hold a seemingly bottomless wealth of knowledge, both artistically and historically, about each item in their collections.
Whether browsing or buying, the Fair offers something for every taste and budget—books on art, science, fashion, politics, travel, cooking, sport, natural history, first editions, Americana, music, children’s books, and much more—appealing to a range of collectors and casual browsers. From the historic and academic to the religious and spiritual, from the exotic to everyday—the Fair represents every conceivable genre and subject. Attendees will have the unique chance to view and buy rare and historic museum-quality items, offered by some of the most prestigious members of the trade. The event features fine and rare printed materials from around the world, including illuminated manuscripts, modern first editions, ephemera, photographs, maps, and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics.
“Antique books are hip again! Rare book collecting is booming as young people raised in the digital age seek tangible connections to the past, drawing everyone from rare book connoisseurs to new audiences intrigued by the power of the printed word and image,” says Julie Roper, CEO of Capricorn Event Management, who has managed the Fair since 2015.
For anyone with a passion for rare books, the Fair is an event that pulls you in with the promise of rediscovering the past in ways you never expected. Fairgoers can expect to find one-of-a-kind manuscripts, groundbreaking scientific works, historical Americana, centuries old atlases and bibles, and signed first editions that hang in the balance between cultural artifact and high-end collectible.
With more than 100 dealers, each with their space filled to the brim with offerings, there is something for everyone, from an impulse-friendly $50 gem to multi-million-dollar rarities. Regardless of the cost, it is the thrill of discovery that unites them all—finding something rare, beautiful, and timeless. For those wanting to start a collection without breaking the bank, there will be dealers offering “Discovery” items priced at $100 or less. Remarkable finds remind us that at the Boston Book Fair, serendipity is half the thrill—there’s always a corner table or hidden shelf waiting to impress even the most seasoned collector.
