From April 18 to 20 2008, the Salon du livre ancien et de l'estampe was held in the Nave of the Grand Palais where it has been established since 2007. The show illustrated the close bond between the Grand Palais and the world of books.
For three days, the glass roof illuminated an inestimable literary heritage, resonating with the theme of travel: travel in space, travel through time, travel through self, and through the collective sub-conscious. It was also a journey to the heart of emotion generated by the broad range of rare and original works selected by the bookshops and the ability to see, touch, and buy some of these treasures. The lectures focused on travel, the key addresses being given by Commodore François Bellec on the afternoon of Saturday April 19 "Voyages au nom du savoir" (Travelling to learn), and Stéphane Marin, director of the Museum of Primitive Arts (Musée du quai Branly) on the following afternoon entitled "Voyageurs et collections" (Travellers and collections).
Traditionally the booksellers' association (Syndicat national de la librairie ancienne et moderne) invites a guest institution with a connection to old books: for the 2008 edition, the French National Library was the guest of honour and had pride of place in the Nave's paddock area. It brought rare illuminated manuscripts such as the Le Roman de la rose by Guillaume de Lorris (a treasure of French literature dating from the 14th and 15th centuries) and outstanding works such as Descartes' Principes de la philosophie, annotated by Bossuet.
Prints were also a major part of the exhibition: for the second year running, the Salon du livre ancien and the Salon de l'estampe were united. From Dürer to Picasso, the most illustrious artists were on show in superb editions.
For three days, the world's most prestigious bookshop was to be found in the Nave of the Grand Palais. From June 19 to 21 2009, the guest of honour at the International Antiquarian Book Fair was the BAnQ (the Quebec National Library and Archives). A new feature at the 2009 edition was a booth to introduce visitors to book collecting, with a range of 1- or 2-volume works at easily affordable prices (starting at 20 €), proving that handsome books really can be bought with small budgets. Would-be collectors watch this space!
The 2010 edition of the International Antiquarian Book Fair and Fine Print Fair made the headlines with the first ever public showing of a photograph of Arthur Rimbaud. The shot was taken in Aden around 1880 and is the only known photo portrait of the poet as an adult. Another popular feature of the 22nd Antiquarian Book Fair was this year's guest, the French Inter-University Library of Medicine and Dentistry presenting works on the theme of the human body.
Attendance at the Fair, back in the Nave for the 4th year running, was up by 30% on 2008.
For the 5th year running, the Antiquarian Book Fair (SLAM) was held in the Nave of the Grand Palais from April 29 to May 1 2011. A unique event that reflects the wealth and diversity of the world’s cultural heritage, it presented a collection of extraordinary works stimulating the curiosity, interest, astonishment and appetite of the most informed specialists and the general public alike: manuscripts, invaluable editions, learned or popular works, rare or unusual books, photos, old maps, prints, drawings were the main items on show. This year, the Fair’s special guest was the Jacques Doucet Library, which chose to present a number of outstanding items, all milestones in the literary history of France, from Baudelaire to the present day. This year again, the lectures, demonstrations and other events, as well as the stall where debutant collectors could pick up some bargains, were immensely popular. In all the SLAM drew 19,000 book lovers and other visitors curious to find out more.
The Grand Palais is be playing host to 150 bookstore owners and 50 gallery owners from across the world to shed light on a series of rare, curious, unusual, surprising and moving works including manuscripts, rare editions, learned and popular works, sumptuous bindings, artists’ books, photographs, historic maps, prints and drawings, both ancient and modern, from around the globe, based around the theme of "the justice”.
