#Pom #Harrington #Antiques #Arts #Weekly
Pom Harrington is the owner of Peter Harrington, one of the leading rare book dealers in the world and the largest antiquarian book dealer in Europe. He joined the London firm straight from school in 1994, working for his father, Peter, and uncle Adrian. He took over running the shop in 2000, and after Peter passed away in 2003, became owner and partner. Recently, his firm showed at the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair. It seemed like a good time to catch up with him and take the pulse of the market and learn about recent trends.
So, how is the antiquarian book market overall, and is there any difference between Europe and the United States?
Europe presents a significantly larger market than the United States in terms of both the number of dealers and available stock. While the United States undeniably boasts greater purchasing power, its network of professional rare book dealers is more disparate. In Europe, though divided by language, domestic rare book markets in countries like France, Spain and Germany remain very vibrant. London, of course, continues to be the epicenter of the European rare book market, with a customer base that has a notably wider range of interests. Peter Harrington is firmly established within this space, handling both UK and European book sales for many US customers who are more confident with working with English-speaking dealers.
You started working with your father in 1997 and became owner & partner in 2003 after Peter passed away. What was it like being born into the trade?
As a second-generation bookseller, I have always been surrounded by books, boxes and the smell of leather. Over the years, various family members worked in the book trade, I’m perhaps the only one who stuck with it! My father’s passion for books was contagious — he loved them not so much for their content but as beautiful, tangible objects. He had a particular fondness for Victorian cloth bindings and amassed a stunning collection that my mother still treasures. I definitely share his appreciation for books as physical objects and works of craftsmanship in their own right.
Rare typescript of Le Petit Prince extensively hand-corrected by its author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
How many volumes await buyers in the Fulham Road building?
We currently have around 15,000 cataloged stock items across our two shops, at Fulham Road and Dover Street in London, and our team is constantly on the lookout for new rarities to add to our stock.
What’s the most expensive book in your collection?
Currently we have a few very special items in our stock, including a magnificent set of the folios of John Gould, which are being offered at £2 million. With respect to individual items, we also have a rare typescript of Le Petit Prince extensively hand-corrected by its author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ($1.25 million, approximately £950,000), one of only three known and the only copy to remain in private hands; and the first modern atlas of the world by Ptolemaeus & Martin Waldseemüller, which contains the first map of America to appear in an atlas (£1 million).
Any Harry Potter stories?
We’ve had our fair share of first edition Harry Potters that have been sold to us by people who have found them sitting on shelves, or were gifted copies on their birthdays. We also regularly get signed or inscribed copies — some from friends and acquaintances of the author or those involved with the very successful film franchise. We’ve been selling first-edition Harry Potter books for a long time now, we recognized quite early on the extraordinary phenomenon these books were destined to become. A few years ago, we also employed a senior specialist in our literature and illustrated works department, Dr Philip W. Errington, who is the official bibliographer of J.K. Rowling’s books. It means when it comes to buying and selling Harry Potter first editions Peter Harrington really is the most authoritative expert in the market.
A plate from a set of the folios of John Gould.
How many specialists does Peter Harrington Bookseller have in its quiver?
We have a team of around 30 highly experienced rare book specialists who bring decades of expertise to every item we source and sell. Several of our booksellers and catalogers have spent 25-30 years in the field, having come from other esteemed rare book dealers and having handled thousands of extraordinary works. Each team member, from our youngest recruits to veterans of the trade are deeply passionate about their specialty, from landmark literature and science to jazz ephemera and Asian printed works. Their expertise guarantees that every item on our shelves is authentic, thoroughly researched and precisely described — making our stock of rare books some of the most diverse and meticulously curated one can find.
Are there any areas you’d like to consider adding to the mix?
I would like to trade more in autographed and natural history books, but we currently cover almost every major category of rare and antiquarian books.
Do you have any hobbies or interests beyond book collecting and selling?
Alongside my passion for books, I have developed an interest in collecting wine. Initially, I focused on the classic French Bordeaux and Burgundy varieties, but I’ve recently begun to explore New World wines. I spend considerable time in South Africa, where the modern wineries are doing very interesting things.
—W.A. Demers
