Meet Our Exhibitors: Adrian Harrington Rare Books

Can you give us a brief introduction to Adrian Harrington Rare Books?

At Adrian Harrington Rare Books, we dabble in a little bit of everything. As long as a book has something unique or interesting about it - be it the edition, provenance, binding, or some other point of rarity that separates it from a regular second-hand book. However, we do favour a handful of popular authors - Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to name a couple. We’re also proud of our large selection of espionage fiction, namely the works of Alastair Maclean, John Le Carré, Len Deighton, and most importantly, Ian Fleming. This past year, we’ve been gradually selling the extensive personal archive of our Fleming specialist, Jon Gilbert, at auction.

What can people expect to find if they visit the Adrian Harrington's stand at Chelsea Rare Book Fair?

We truly believe that our stand will have something for every bibliophile - there’ll be a range of modern literature, both first editions and fine reading copies. We’ll have an assortment of splendid James Bonds and other Bondiana. We’re also going to be displaying some less conventional items, including esoterica, custom one-of-a-kind bindings, and some interesting pre-20^th century material.

What is your favourite thing about exhibiting at Chelsea?

Chelsea is a great fair, as it’s when we get to experiment with bringing our more ‘out there’ items. Here we have the exciting opportunity to display stock that members of staff are passionate about but which we’d perhaps hesitate to bring to a larger fair. And when we do go out on a limb, we often find people who are just as passionate about our chosen items as us, which is very rewarding.

What is your favourite item you’ll be exhibiting at Chelsea?

My personal favourite of all the items we’re bringing is a scrapbook of original newspaper clippings from 1840 that completely cover the trial of Marie Lafarge, a French woman who poisoned her husband to death. The trial was scrutinised across the whole of Europe, being one of the first ever to rely on forensic evidence provided by the Marsh Test (a method to detect traces of arsenic in a body). The chronicle provides a fascinating and dramatic look at legal history.

Is there anything you’ll be hunting for to add to your stock at Chelsea?

We’re always on the prowl for new acquisitions. Currently, we may be looking for especially fine bindings, classic titles, illustrated works - in other words, things perfect for the upcoming holiday season. We also always keep an eye out for interesting or signed Fleming items, as well as novels in the crime and thriller genres. However, we’re always eager to be surprised. Part of the fun of book fairs is getting to find out what your colleagues in the trade have been hard at work on.

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You'll find Adrian Harrington Rare Books on stand 46 at Chelsea Rare Book Fair