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 revolutions in printing, 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 your ticket below.
All talks will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor.
All tours will meet on the ground floor. Signage will be provided to indicate the meeting point.
Other events will take place in the café.
Friday
Listening In: How Radio Changed the Home
Friday 15th May, 14:00
Former BBC Radio producer and author Beaty Rubens discusses the impact of the arrival of radio on British homes in the 1920s and 1930s – an impact the BBC’s first Director General considered as revolutionary as that of the printing press. Almost all accounts of early radio are told from the broadcasters’ point of view but Beaty considers the perspective of the listeners: what was it like for an individual family to buy a new gadget, take it home, make it work, and – most importantly – to ‘listen in’ to the first ever form of home-based mass entertainment?
This event will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of Saatchi Gallery.
Looking After Your Books with Francesca Galligan
Friday 15th May, 15:30
Do you think of the books you own as a collection, or a miscellaneous jumble? What does it mean to be a book collector? Perhaps you are about to start or expand on a collection, and you are looking for inspiration. If you already own books, do you shelve them by colour? And do you write in them? And why might these questions matter? Explore these themes and more with Dr Francesca Galligan, Deputy Head of Rare Books at the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, and author of Looking After Your Books.
This event will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of Saatchi Gallery.
Bookbindings and Book Collecting with David Pearson
Friday 15th May, 17:00
How interested should collectors be in bookbindings? And why? Luxury bindings may be collectable as things of beauty, but we may prefer a Jane Austen first edition in contemporary paper-covered boards. Or we may not care about the covers as long as the text is there. All historic bindings can tell us things about our books, and we should always stop to think about what they can reveal. This illustrated talk will open up the stories of bookbindings and encourage a wider appreciation of their value.
David Pearson is the Editor of The Book Collector, has written extensively on bindings, and will draw particularly on his recently published Bookbindings: an illustrated history (Bodleian Library Publishing, 2026) to address his theme.
This event will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of Saatchi Gallery.
Saturday
A Library of Her Own: Women and their book collections
Saturday 16th May, 11:30
Join us for a panel discussion to look at libraries owned by women or women who put their stamp on important book collections through the centuries.
Melanie Bigold, Cardiff University, is currently working on a research project on women’s libraries and book ownership, 1660-1820.
Philip Palmer, The Morgan Library & Museum, Robert H. Taylor Curator and Department Head of Literary and Historical Manuscripts, recently co-curated 'Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy'.
Jessica Starr, Jarndyce, has an MA in the History of the Book from the University of London.
Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London with Peter Ross
Saturday 16th May, 13:00
Step into the kitchens, streets and chop houses of Georgian London – one day, one city, countless appetites. Join Peter Ross to take a journey through breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper in Georgian London, drawing on contemporary archives to follow hungry citizens from all walks of life as they navigate the city’s diverse food landscape.
Dr Peter Ross is the former Principal Librarian at the City of London's Guildhall Library. He is an historian of both food and crime in Georgian London, an Arts Society lecturer, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
This talk will take place in the Talks Space on the top floor of the Saatchi Gallery.
Senate House Library and the Institute of English Studies present: Revolutions in Print Technologies
Saturday 16th May, 14:30
Join Jamie Holman for three micro-conversations with Michael Durrant, co-curator of The English Print Revolution: Caxton and Beyond exhibition at Senate House Library, Cynthia Johnston (Institute of English Studies), and Ben Maggs (Maggs Bros. Ltd.).
The conversations will explore different revolutions in print technology reflecting on the current Senate House Library exhibition and Jamie's creative interventions as focal points.
On display will be Holman’s new book and film, Factory Weather, inspired by William Morris’s Tale of King Florus and the Fair Jehane.
Sunday
Early Careers Booksellers' Brunch
Sunday 17th May, 11:00
The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association is delighted to host another networking brunch for early career and emerging booksellers. Join us at Saatchi Gallery on Sunday 17th May for this networking opportunity. Light refreshments will be provided. The event will run from 11:00-12:00 and is primarily for booksellers in the first 10 years of their careers, irrespective of age.
This event will take place in the café on the top floor of Saatchi Gallery.
Radical Beauty: William Morris & the Kelmscott Press
Sunday 17th May, 12:30
In this tour, Clare Marshall of Marshall Rare Books will explore how William Morris and the Kelmscott Press sought to rebel against industrial mass production in Victorian England, championing traditional craftsmanship and the beauty of the book as an object.
Tours will meet on the ground floor of Saatchi Gallery - signage will be provided to indicate the meeting point.
Modern First Editions with Les Ashton
Sunday 17th May, 14:00
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.
Tours will meet on the ground floor of Saatchi Gallery - signage will be provided to indicate the meeting point.
100 Years of Winnie the Pooh
Sunday 17th May, 15:00
On the top floor of the Saatchi Gallery this year you'll find a small corner of the 100 Acre Wood. Tucked into our new exhibition space, Firsts London brings you a celebration of 100 years of Winnie the Pooh, curated by Anna Middleton of Peter Harrington Rare Books. Join Anna for a show-and-tell of some particularly special items from this one-off exhibition, including first, signed, and inscribed editions of the much-beloved books, alongside letters, illustrations, and other ephemera telling the story of a bear, a boy, and their friends.
This event will take place in the Exhibition Space, located in the cafe on the top floor of the Gallery.
YABS Student Tour of Firsts London
Sunday 17th May, 15:30
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 on the ground floor of Saatchi Gallery - signage will be provided to indicate the meeting point.