The 56th Michigan Antiquarian Book and Paper Show is set for Sunday October 7, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Lansing Center. A program guide with a list of exhibitors is in this week’s Lansing City Pulse. One of the longtime booksellers John Gram was profiled in the section and the article is below.
Like the vast majority of booksellers, John Gram (Booth 45), followed the usual path on his way from collector to becoming a book seller.
“I started out as a collector, but I’d find books that weren’t something I collected, and I’d sell them.”
Gram, from Port Huron MI, has been selling books for more than 30 years. He has been a regular exhibitor at the Michigan Antiquarian Book & Paper Show since 1988. His personal collection revolves around his interest in archaeology and anthropology. He currently has more than 8,000 books listed for sale online.
“I still remember the first show: I made a few hundred dollars and felt like the top of the world.”
For this show, Gram will be bringing books that top the few-hundred dollar level, such as a rare Dickens’ book with a fore-edge painting which includes an unusual pairing of two scenes side-by-side.
He also will be selling several attractive sets of books with leather bindings and recently acquired collections of travel narratives and early Western exploration.
Included in the collection of fine bindings is a nine-volume set of Horace Walpole Correspondence. He says it’s not something he routinely handles and would like to put it in the hands of a collector. “It is very attractive.”
Gram, who has an anthropology master’s degree from Wayne State University, worked for many years as an archaeologist, which led to his interest in early American history and American Indian books. It is in those disciplines that his personal collection of books resides.
At the sale, Gram will offer his usual high-quality collection of nonfiction including military history and technical books.
“I also will have three or four shelves on Michigan history; two full shelves on military history, Michigan plat books and county
atlases.” In addition Gram will be offering an assortment of postcards for sale.
Gram has an interesting philosophy of book selling: “Some things I am loath to ‘give away’, but others I buy low and sell low.” He said that when it comes to books that he is not interested in, he wholesales them out, making attractive deals for collectors.
