In June 1984, the Syndicat national de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (SLAM) organized, at the initiative of its president Jeanne Laffite, the first International Antiquarian Book Fair in Paris, at the Conciergerie. In this place full of history, it was a considerable success and every two years, booksellers from all over the world come to Paris to exhibit exceptional and very diverse items.
In 1993, the Fair moved to the Maison de la Mutualité where this bibliophilic event became an annual event in 1995.
From April 2007 to September 2020, the Nave of the Grand Palais hosted the Antiquarian Book Fair. Until 2015, this event was associated with the Salon de l'Estampe et du Dessin, which was organized by the Chambre Syndicale de l'Estampe et du Dessin et du Tableau.
In 1993, the Fair moved to the Maison de la Mutualité where this bibliophilic event became an annual event in 1995.
From April 2007 to September 2020, the Nave of the Grand Palais hosted the Antiquarian Book Fair. Until 2015, this event was associated with the Salon de l'Estampe et du Dessin, which was organized by the Chambre Syndicale de l'Estampe et du Dessin et du Tableau.
In 2015, the Salon International du Livre Ancien, de l'Estampe et du Dessin became the Salon International du Livre rare, de l'Autographe, de l'Estampe et du Dessin and in 2016 the SLAM became the organizer of the entire fair.
From 2017 to 2019, the Rare Book Fair was organized jointly with the Art Object Fair, piloted by the National Chamber of Specialized Experts (CNES).
From 2017 to 2019, the Rare Book Fair was organized jointly with the Art Object Fair, piloted by the National Chamber of Specialized Experts (CNES).
In September 2020, only the Rare Book Fair took place. This was the last event organized at the Grand Palais before it was closed for renovation.
The 2021 edition has again brought together two parts of the fair, Rare Books and Art Object Experts on the other, under the sole direction of SLAM, and with the support and collaboration of four Chambers of Experts: CNE, CNES, FNEPSA and CEA.
The 2022 edition will focus on its own universe, that of rare books and works on paper.
The 2021, 2022 and 2023 Fairs were held at the Grand Palais Éphémère, during the renovation of the historic Grand Palais.
In June 2024, the Fair moved in a new venue, the Carreau du Temple, in the heart of the popular historic Marais district.
Today, it is the most beautiful event of its kind in France and one of the most important in the world, with 150 booksellers from all over the world, all affiliated to the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and gallery owners of prints & drawings.
All these professionals bring to light a priceless written, and iconographic heritage and this exceptional cultural event is a unique opportunity to become familiar with our collective memory.
It is a fabulous journey to which the visitor is invited on the traces left by the human spirit during centuries.
The oldest works dating back to the origins of the book as well as the most surprising artistic avant-gardes are brought together for the greatest pleasure of the amateur: exceptional provenances, intimate manuscripts, prints and drawings of all periods, beautiful bindings... To walk through the aisles of the Fair is to discover timeless artistic expressions, with a universal heritage value.
