Rare Book Consultancy

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, at the intersection of the Spanish colonial world and the American Southwest. I studied at boarding school in New England, completed my undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature at Columbia University, and went on to an MPhil at Cambridge. I have spent my adult life reading, collecting, and researching the books and prints that documented the early modern world.

This is not a side interest. It is the organizing principle of my intellectual life.

My personal collection spans 1480 to the present and focuses on the history of Arizona and the US Southwest, the Spanish colonial world, early modern cartography, astronomy and optics, and the French intervention in Mexico and its consequences for Sonora — including the Battle of Guaymas.

I offer this knowledge, and everything it has taken to build it, to clients who are serious about collecting.

I work with private collectors, institutions, galleries, and researchers who are navigating the rare book and print market and want to do it well. My role is to provide clarity, discretion, and informed guidance at every stage : from defining what you are building to finding the right pieces, evaluating what you are offered, and understanding what you own.

This includes acquisition strategy and collection development, authenticity assessment and condition evaluation, bibliographic identification and edition priority, auction guidance and pre-sale evaluation, dealer vetting and private sale negotiation, provenance research and historical context, and long-term collection strategy for private or institutional purposes.

I have seen the mistakes collectors make when they move too fast, trust the wrong sources, or buy without the bibliographic grounding to understand what they are actually acquiring. My job is to make sure that does not happen to you.

Languages and Research

This is where my background separates me from most people working in this field.

I am fluent in English, Spanish, and French. I read Latin, Italian, Portuguese, and German, and I study Russian, Greek, and Japanese. This is not a credential I mention for decoration. The books and prints I work with were written, catalogued, sold, and described in these languages. A 16th-century Latin colophon, a French auction house description, an Italian dealer's private offer, a German bibliographic reference. These are the primary documents of the rare book trade, and most American dealers cannot read them without assistance.

I can. That means deeper research, fewer misunderstandings, access to material that never gets translated, and the ability to catch errors or misattributions that slip past people working only from English summaries.

For clients, this is a direct and practical advantage.

Working with European Dealers

I maintain active relationships with antiquarian dealers, auction houses, and private collectors in Europe and the United States. I communicate directly with dealers in their native languages, review private catalogues and offers before they reach the public market, verify bibliographic details against primary sources, and navigate pricing, condition questions, and export considerations on behalf of my clients.

The European rare book and print trade operates on relationships, reputation, and a shared set of professional expectations that take years to understand from the inside. I understand them. My clients benefit from that access without having to build it themselves.

Whether you are looking for a specific work, evaluating a collection, or simply trying to understand the market you are entering, I can help you move through it with confidence.

My goal is to help clients access the European market with confidence, discretion, and respect for established professional relationships. To learn more, visit our Blog!