Events
Are you new to the world of rare books, or just want an expert guide to the fair? Firsts' selection of talks and tours are a great way to learn more about book collecting and make the most of your visit. From deep-dives into beautiful botanical illustrations, to perspectives on careers in the book trade, these free events are a chance to meet experts and learn some of the secrets of the trade.
All events are free but please register for you ticket below.
All talks will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor.
All tours will meet in the lobby. Signage will be provided to indicate the meeting point.
Provenance and Book Collecting with David Pearson
Friday 16th May, 13:00
As part of Firsts London 2025, David Pearson will explore the increased value we now attach to inscriptions, annotations, bookplates and other evidence of former owners of our books, based around his Bodleian Library publications, Provenance Research in Book History and Speaking Volumes.
The event is organised in conjuction with the Friends of the Bodleian Library, and will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of the Saatchi Gallery.
David Pearson is a leading expert on the history of books, after a lifetime spent working with them, writing about them and owning them.
YABS Student Tour of Firsts London
Friday 16th May, 16:30
This tour is for prospective and previous students of the York Antiquarian Book Seminar, and will visit several YABS graduates at stands across Firsts London.
It is an excellent opportunity to network with other early-career booksellers and find out more about routes into the rare book trade.
This tour will be led by YABS graduate Stephanie Wynn. Tours will meet in the lobby - signage will be provided to indicate the meeting spot.
Gnome Kings, Fairy Folk, and Little Elephants: An Evening of Storytelling with Charles van Sandwyk
Friday 16th May, 18:00
For more than four decades, Charles van Sandwyk has brought his unique and characterful vision to the literary world. In addition to the over seventy titles written and illustrated for his private press, he has worked closely with The Folio Society, contributing illustrations to The Blue Fairy Book, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wind in the Willows.
This special event at Firsts London 2025, in conjunction with Fold the Corner Books, will include readings from some of his best-loved works including How To See Fairies, Canadian Content, and The Gnome King, as well as the unveiling of a very special edition of Tree Whispers.
"Van Sandwyk is a latter day Beatrix Potter." James Lovegrove, The Financial Times
This event will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of Saatchi Gallery.
Cool Calligraphy - A Hands-On Session
Saturday 17th May, 10:00, £18
We are delighted that BADA (British Antique Dealers’ Association) member Toby Pennington from the Armoury of St James’s has agreed to run a light-hearted introduction to calligraphy at Firsts. Why not come along with the name of your favourite book and let’s turn it into a beautiful hand-written bookmark which you will be able to take away with you at the end of the session.
Toby's previous commissions include work for Nike, Amtrac, CAMRA, The Football Association and a host of fellow BADA members.
All materials and entrance to the fair are included in the ticket price.
Saturday 17th May, 12:00
In 1225, a slightly slimmed down version of Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest (both first issued a decade earlier) were confirmed by Henry III. 800 years on, we are remembering and celebrating these iconic documents, but why are they important? Are they anything more than symbolic? This talk will examine what they meant for people in the medieval period and explore their legacy in the twenty-first century, notably their continued significance for justice, human rights and the environment.
Professor Anthony Musson is head of research at Historic Royal Palaces, leading the project on Tudor royal progresses, 'Henry VIII on Tour: Landscapes, Communities and Performance'. He is author of Medieval Law in Context: the Growth of Legal Consciousness from Magna Carta to the Peasants' Revolt and contributed to Magna Carta: The Foundation of Freedom, 1215-2015.
The Society of Antiquaries of London will be holding a groundbreaking, free exhibition to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta from 23rd July to 19th September 2025.
This talk will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of the Saatchi Gallery.
Curiosity and Travel: Mark Catesby's Natural History
Saturday 17th May, 13:30
This talk will introduce the naturalist Mark Catesby (1683-1749) and his work, focusing on the making of his Natural History of the Carolinas, Flora and the Bahamas (1729-1747). The talk will be given by Professor Stephen Harris, Druce Curator of the Oxford University Herbaria.
Mark Catesby travelled in the southern states of America and the Bahamas in the early-1720s. An exceptional observer, he recorded what he saw as illustrations, and collected dried plant specimens and seeds. On his return to London, the seeds Catesby collected became horticultural sensations in Georgian Britain, and remain familiar in our own gardens. The images Catesby drew and engraved are among the most distinctive in natural history illustration. The detailed observations he made about the plants and animals he saw continues to be relevant to modern biology.
The event is organised in conjuction with the Friends of the Bodleian Library, and will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of the Saatchi Gallery.
Old Books, New Knowledge: Three hundred years of the Chelsea Physic Garden Library
Saturday 17th May, 15:00
Join us to find out more about the library of Chelsea Physic Garden, our partner for Firsts London 2025.
Chelsea Physic Garden Library Volunteer Rosalind Lintott will give a brief history of the CPG collection, with an overview of some of the more unusual discoveries she has made in the course of cataloguing the Inner Library, from fragments of medieval manuscripts to centuries-old plant cuttings. As the collection has a scientific focus, she will also discuss a few volumes that were truly novel or cutting-edge when they were first published, as well as some that were designed for (and show signs of) practical use by botanists and gardeners.
Rosalind Lintott is a teacher and researcher specialising in medieval manuscripts and early modern printed books. She has a particular interest in the illustration of books, and the focus of her recent research includes fifteenth-century woodcuts and seventeenth-century maps.
This event will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of the fair.
Piracy and Buccaneering during the Golden Age of Piracy
Saturday 17th May, 16:30
Sailing Under The Jolly Roger, eye patches, wooden legs and buried treasure! In this tour of Firsts London, we will take a look at the books that were instrumental in creating the almost mythical image of the pirates, including famous names like Blackbeard, Captain Kidd and the legendary female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
This tour is lead by Clare Marshall of Marshall Rare Books. Tours will meet in the lobby - signage will be provided to indicate the meeting spot.
Early Career Booksellers' Brunch
Sunday 18th May, 10:00
The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association is delighted to host another networking brunch for early career and emerging booksellers. Join us at Saatchi Gallery on Sunday 18 May for this networking opportunity. Light refreshments will be provided. The event will run from 10:00-11:00 and is primarily for booksellers in the
first 10 years of their careers, irrespective of age.
The event will take place in the café.
A History of Book Collecting with Andrea Mazzocchi
Sunday 18th May, 11:30
Learn about the fundamentals of rare books with expert Andrea Mazzocchi from long-established dealer Bernard Quaritch. This tour will cover print history from medieval manuscripts to modern first editions, and look at trends and fashions in book collecting throughout the ages.
Modern First Editions with Les Ashton
Sunday 18th May, 13:00
Les Ashton of Ashton Rare Books focuses on a selection of books at Firsts to explain what really makes a book a ‘highlight’. He will be particularly focusing on modern firsts, i.e. books from 1900 onwards. The tour will be emphasising the importance of dust jackets, signatures, associations, fashion and scarcity in making a title and a particular copy special. A great chance to learn more about twentieth century first editions from an expert, this tour is not to be missed by collectors and enthusiasts.