Antique books available at London fair - 03/06/2010

The 53rd London international Antiquarian Book Fair at Olympia starts today (June 3rd) and ends on June 5th.

Antique book dealers will be displaying a range of manuscripts, maps, letters and first edition copies of famous tomes for collectors to buy.

At least 143 dealers have signed up to appear at the oldest collectors fair in London and their items could date back to as early as the 15th century.

Robert Frew, chairman of the fair, said: "This fair is our flagship event; the mix of dealers from 15 countries around the world creates a genuinely intercontinental flavour which is of course reflected in the stock on view."

One of the highlights of the fair is a second edition copy of William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories and Tragedies, which dates back to 1632 and is worth £235,000.

There is also a letter to a famous Georgian transvestite from his mother. It is addressed to The Chevalier D’Eon, who was a colourful figure in Georgian London.

He had enjoyed a successful career as a diplomat and military leader in France but was exiled to England where he lived openly as a woman.

Posted by Ophelia Weston