Melbourne Rare Book Week has begun for another year.
MRBW runs 18-27 July and it is a very special one as it is the 10th year. The culminating event of MRBW is always the Australian Antiquarian Book Fair, presented by The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers (ANZAAB).
There are many more events this year, so many that I can’t sketch at them all, and had to make some decisions about what I can get to. I am sketching t 23 of the 44 evtns. Most events are in Melbourne CBD, but some are a few suburbs away, a few even further afield. I take the week off work and document each event. sketching on location. The talks usually go for 45 minutes to one hour. In most cases, it involves people sitting and listening. I sit in the back row and sketch – sometimes the people in front of me are the feature and sometimes the building itself. It is not all about expensive, high-end collectables, but also the sharing of stories behind the books in interesting collections of organisations and individuals.
THURSDAY
Noted Donations to the Melbourne Public Library The C J LaTrobe Society
Speaker: Shane Carmody
From its beginning the Melbourne Public Library supplemented its book stock with donations. In 1873, the library published a catalogue of these gifts, listing an array of donors from emperors and kings to more humble colonists. In part a celebration, in part an appeal for more gifts, the catalogue provides an insight into the literary culture of the time. Historian Shane Carmody will discuss book culture in the early years of the Colony of Victoria, featuring eminent donors and their fascinating donations to the Melbourne Public Library collection.
FRIDAY
The Oldest Book in the Supreme Court Library
The Law Library Victoria
Statham’s Abridgement (1491) and its place in law reporting today Speaker: Alissa Duke
I could not sketch my own event ! so here are some photos!
Sit amongst the books and shelves of the magnificent Supreme Court Library and learn about the oldest book in the Library, Statham’s Abridgment, which was printed in 1491. Discover what it is, and how this book came to be in the Library. Hear about its place in the history of law reports and how this five-hundred-year-old book relates to law reporting in Victoria today.
My Life in Readings An interview with Mark Rubbo Interviewer: Jane Sullivan Melbourne Athenaeum Library, Legendary Melbourne bookseller Mark Rubbo spent almost 50 years in the business until he retired as Readings managing director last year. From his days with one Readings outlet in Carlton to presiding over a chain of eight shops, he nurtured new Australian writers, worked to extend Melbourne’s cultural influence, and fought off a challenge from the Borders behemoth. Text publisher Michael Heyward calls him one of the world’s great independent booksellers. He talks about his career and 50 years of Australian writing to author and literary columnist Jane Sullivan.
Sectarian Riot? Coverup?
Royal United Services Institute of Victoria
The literature of the Battle of Fromelles 1916Speaker: Major General (Ret’d) Michael O’Brien CSC, MDA, BSc (Mil)
Australia’s disastrous Battle of Fromelles has generated a large volume of literature over the last 100 years. It has caused a riotous assembly in Bendigo and accusations of a coverup. Mike will review the writings from his intimate experience with the twenty-first century re-burial and identification of Australia’s lost soldiers from this battle.
SATURDAY
A Viewing of Rare Bird Books Museums Victoria
Guides: Haley Webster, Olga Hionis and Shae Graham.Rose Bollen
Fly into the museum to see a selection of beautiful ornithology books from our Rare Book Collection, presented by the museum’s librarians. Groups of 20 people will be shown some stunning and beautiful images of the world’s most spectacular birds in a selection from some of the most desirable and collectable books in the collection.
The attendees moved around the tables to view the books and be told about their creation and art and how they came into the collection.
SUNDAY
An Evening with Elizabeth David & Friends
Books for Cooks
A talk with tastes Speaker: Tim White
An intimate conversation about Elizabeth David, celebrating the importance and collectability of her books, her influence on mid-century food writing and cookery, her books, her friends and her legacy, presented by a specialist culinary bookseller, whose favourite author to cook from is, of course, Elizabeth David. Tastes from several of her books will be served and various editions and versions of her books will be on display and for sale.
I am honored that my sketches from previous years feature on the bookmark this year and throughout the program. It is lovely to have a printed program.
AND my sketches are on the posters for the Rare Book Fair . I have been sent photos of them on walls around the city, but have not seen one yet. I want to take a selfie and maybe take it down and home with me after the event. !!! I will post a photo if I get to do that !
I may post again during the week , as well as again on Sunday,