The Washington Rare Book Group

In September we visited the Corcoran Gallery to see their book arts program and meet some book arts students. In October, the group visited the National Sporting Museum Library in Middleburg, Virginia to see their collection of rare books dealing with sports (mostly equestrian). In November, WRBG members visited the Dumbarton Oaks Library to see their vast collections dealing with gardens and Byzantine art. February brought a visit to the Library of Congress to see the Margaret Armstrong bindings, and in March, we went to the Smithsonian Institution to see the "Jefferson Bible." In April, the group toured the new library at Mount Vernon and saw the rare book collection.  In May, WRBG hosted a panel on the use of rare books in art libraries at the annual ARLIS meeting. The final event was the WRBG annual meeting, held at Ft. McNair. Mark Dimunation, head of rare books at the Library of Congress, spoke about special moments in the collections for him in his career at LC.

For the 2014-2015 event year, WRBG has scheduled the following events.  Please check our website at http://www.washingtonrarebookgroup.wordpress.com to see the finalized dates and times.

September - The history of the Washington Rare Book Group and the people who made it

happen and the collections they represent at the Waverly Auction House (TBD)

October – TBD

November - Archives of American Art

January - Folger Shakespeare Library

February - Artists' books at the Smithsonian

March - Panel discussion on dealing with 19th Century books (at the Smithsonian)

April - George Washington University Law School Library

May - Annual Meeting talk at Fort McNair