Ian Marr Rare Books

Ian Marr is a UK based professional antiquarian bookseller.
He buys and sells rare books, i.e. fine quality 16th-20th century Books, Manuscripts, Ephemera, Fine Bindings, Prints and Photographs. He has extensive experience of valuing and / or cataloguing for market and insurance, for families, libraries and auction houses. He produces illustrated hard copy and e-catalogues of material for sale (feel free to join the mailing list), and exhibits widely in the UK at Book Fairs. He offers a helpful, courteous service. He is currently in the process of relocating from Cornwall to Edinburgh, but is active at both locations (not quite simultaneously!). He is contactable on 0773 8339709 or via e-mail at marr.books@gmail.com

As you can see by accessing the catalogue button, he produces diverse catalogues, from general themes to specialised subjects. Aside from the general or “Varia” catalogues, planned catalogues for the future include: “The Antiquarians, Part I: Joseph Ritson,” a catalogue which will combine “Trees” and “the Navy,” and a catalogue to do with Women – all in various stages of preparation . . .

This is Ian Marr’s new member profile on joining the ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION in APRIL 2005:

After Eton College and then graduating with an MA in History from Edinburgh University in 1983, angst about my prospects led me to apply to one of those advertisements in the newspapers which said: “Want to Earn ££££££’s???”.

This resulted in my first job, of two years duration, selling advertising space in a careers directory for graduates. I certainly did “earn £££’s” but it was so stressful that I spent them all in the American Bar at the Savoy, and other watering holes in the Covent Garden area of London, near where I worked, and in the end had nothing material to show for it all.

Like a lot of booksellers (vide Sheila Markham’s penetrating book), I had no plans relating to books, just a tendency to find myself in jobs involving them, including starting up a full time Book Department at Bonhams, where I worked between 1985-1989. Quitting Bonhams in 1989, I set off as an independent trader through the choppy waters of the recession, moved to Devon, married, and then emigrated (although it only turned out to be for a year) to Bavaria in 1993.

I thought at the time that I had waved books goodbye. Needless to say, it did not take me long to find the antiquarian bookshops even in rural Bavaria, and, with my labourer’s wages for one week, I bought a large bundle of Penguin Books in excellent condition that carried the official rubber stamps of some long lost POW camp. It was the stamps that interested me, and what sort of books had passed the German censors.

I do like a book, even a relatively ordinary one, that has some quality to it that lifts it into the category of historical artefact, whether it be the binding, the provenance, exceptional condition, or whatever, and these are also the books I most like to offer or be offered. On returning to England in 1994, I applied for all manner of jobs including, I recall, the position of sales-trainer for the Post Office, I finally secured employment in the Bond Street, London, eyrie of Marlborough Rare Books.

On a very sharp learning curve from the word go, I had to hone my bookish instincts in double-quick time. The owner, Jonathan Gestetner, kind enough to give me the job in the first place, was very patient, particularly since I dare say I was far from a model employee. As I “developed,” he began to give me a free hand, financially and intellectually, to experiment and find out what sorts of books I was best at handling, and went so far as to make me a Director of the firm, as well as openly sharing his knowledge of books. Also there was Mickie Brand.

Craftily, I thought it would be a good idea to accompany Mickie to auction views in an attempt to find out what his secrets were, since he had a legendary eye for a good book but was extremely modest in his responses when I pestered him with questions.

For a long time I thought I was none the wiser, but actually the clues were osmotically passed on, by watching what he chose to look at, how he handled the book, how he subsequently put the book back on the shelf again, how he calculated his bid, how long the book lingered on or near his desk once he’d bought it, etc. Serving this sort of apprenticeship, and surrounded by great books, was marvellous. Other dealers have always been unfailingly kind to me, for which I am truly grateful. Amongst them my predecessors at Marlborough Rare Books, the late Alex Fotheringham and the late John Manners, who made all kinds of encouraging noises and offered perspectives on the upper echelons of the book trade, which, hitherto, were a complete mystery to me.

In 2005, a combination of factors occurred and it felt like time for a change. So I declared my hand and handed in my notice. Election into the Antiquarian Booksellers Association, about which I am genuinely delighted, is the foundation stone upon which I hope to build.


I will happily send catalogues to anyone who asks.
Tel: 07738339709
email: marr.books@gmail.com