Friends of the University handling books for the Book Fair: the University of Newcastle, Australia

About the original

DescriptionThis photo appeare in the News, Volume 13, Number 9, June 15 to 29, 1987. The text was: "60,000 - volume book bonanza The University's third book fair - a bonanza for book lovers in search of a bargain- will be held in the great hall from July 25 to August 3, 10 am to 4 pm. The fair, organised by The Friends of The University every two years, will be a giant supermarket of second-head books, some 60,000 volumes in all. The vast majority of the books will sell between 50 cents and $150. However, the glamour stock- the rare and antique editions to be sold at auction - will probably bring several hundred dollars each. The fair, The Friends' main fund-raising activity, provided a total of $53,000 in 1983 and 1985 towards cost of Friends House at Edwards Hall. The proceeds of this year's book fair will be directed towards a special Bicentenary project, a new tapestry for the Great Hall. This will measure 16m x 2m and will be executed by Mary and Larry Beeston. It will be known as the Hunter Tapestry. Books and more books, thousands of magazines, more than 1,000 recordings and a large stack of sheet music will be offered during the biennial sale. Rare and antique books will be on view on stage. A catalogue and a register will be provided. The base price for rare books is $20 per item and bids above this will be entered in the register. On August 1 the items will be sold by means of a slow auction beginning at 3 pm. The connoisseur's corner always produces treasures and curiosities. In 1985, a copy of Ludwig Leichardt's Journal of his expedition from Morteon bay to Port Essington in 1844 and 1845 turned up. On the expensive list are: a wonderful set of Cities and people of the World, a 19th century publication, on our selection, by Steel Rudd, Les Belles Heures du Duc de Berry, with brilliant copies of the original illuminations, The Story of Australia Past and present in Pen and Pictures, six volumes published in 1925, An Artist in Egypt, with illustrations by Walter Tyndale, put out in 1915, and Air-force Poetry, poems by men who served in the RAF. As well as drawing book lovers and bargain hunters, the fair is always a magnet to book dealers fro m Sydney and elsewhere. There are tales of utility trucks being used to carry away the purchases made by dealers in 1985. The echoing floor of the auditorium of the Great Hall will present orderly rows of tables stacked with book, magazines and recordings, Signs will pinpoint the they-eight various categories. The volunteers from The Friends of The University have acquired knowledge of the public's taste in reading material. They say that the most popular lines are art, music, biography, cookery, gardening, pets and animals and the royal family. Not surprisingly, second-hand paperbacks, including Penguins and Pelicans, which sell very cheaply, are regularly the best sellers at the book fairs. Textbooks also disappear rapidly because of their favourable prices and the large number of University students who attend the fairs. This year a large collection of foreign language texts are included in the offerings." This image was scanned from a photograph in the University's historical photographic collection held by Special Collections. If you would like to comment on the photograph, please contact Special Collections or add a Recollection, using these instructions.InformationSubjectFriends of the UniversityBook FairsUniversity of Newcastle (N.S.W.)Newcastle (N.S.W.)Datenot specifiedSourcehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/2555191682/

Relates to

CollectionUniversity of Newcastle HistoryOrganisationFriends of the University of NewcastleExhibition 1980s - UON

Use

RestrictionsThe image can be used for study and personal research purposes. If you wish to reproduce this image for any other purpose please contact Special Collections. Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

IdentifierP659

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