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Books

Rare books bound to please

Lovers of literature can find collectibles and get appraisals this weekend at the Coliseum

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published March 8, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - A quarter century ago, rare and out-of-print bookseller Michael Slicker joined forces with a handful of colleagues around the state to launch the first Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.

Since then, the event has grown, twice moving to larger quarters. This year it will draw more than 115 book dealers from 25 states, Canada, and for the first time, a dealer from Italy.

The fair, which will take place in the Coliseum, begins Friday evening and continues Saturday and Sunday. Rare and out-of-print books will be for sale, along with first editions, fine bindings, maps, prints, autographs, documents and paper collectibles.

Those who attend don't have to be big-spending collectors, Slicker said.

"There are books for $1 and $5," he said. "You can spend very little, or you can spend an awful lot."

By "an awful lot," he means as much as $50,000 and more. Anyone wondering whether they've got such a valuable tome on their hands can get free appraisals during a short period Saturday. Librarians will be on hand in the Coliseum lobby to offer their assessments.

A St. Petersburg resident, Slicker got into the rare books business in 1972, while living in Sacramento, Calif. When he returned home in 1977, he opened Lighthouse Books. Like the fair itself, the store has moved a couple of times, but has been at 1735 First Ave. N for more than two decades.

Slicker and two of his children run the old-fashioned store stocked with books on such topics as Florida history, general history, antiques and literature. The shop also carries children's books and autographed books of many kinds. The bookstore owner says he enjoys the business.

"Every day is a little bit different and it's all learning and if you're a curious person at all, it's the perfect business," he said. "It's the books that got me into the business, but it's the people that got me to stay."

Visitors to the store invariably are extremely knowledgeable about the topic they're pursuing, he said. "Whether they collect books on dolls or railroads, when they come into the store, they've already used up the normal channels. They've already read the new books and picked up the usual information on television," Slicker said.

The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is put on by the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association. The group, which was organized in 1979, originally held the fair at the University of Tampa's Plant Hall. As it outgrew the space, the event was moved across Tampa Bay to the activities center at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. About 10 years ago, it was relocated to the Coliseum. Space is running out.

"Even today we have a long waiting list of exhibitors. ... After all, we are Florida in the winter," Slicker said, adding, though, that organizers don't plan another move.

"The nice thing about the book fair is each of the exhibitors has his or her own specialty," Slicker said. Those who attend will be able to find children's books such as The Little Engine that Could and Dick and Jane readers, books on military history, the Civil War, philosophy or theology, he said.

"No matter what your interest is, whether it is modern-day mysteries or early books printed about Christianity, you can find something," Slicker said.

The 25th Annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, Friday, through Sunday, , at the Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Free book appraisals will be available in the lobby 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission Friday is $7 and is good for all three days. Admission for Saturday and Sunday is $5 per day. A portion from ticket sales will go to the St. Petersburg Public Library. Go to www.floridabooksellers.com/bookfair.html for a list of dealers and specialties. For information, call 727 822-3278, 727 563-9922, or e-mail flapr@tampabay.rr.com

[Last modified March 8, 2006, 01:42:19]