Favorite ♥ Places: “The Owl Pen”, Greenwich, New York

This summer I was blessed to once again visit one of my very favorite antiquarian bookshops, The Owl Pen, nestled in the beautiful, historic Washington County hill country near Greenwich, New York in the charming outbuildings of an old poultry farm.  

Although the drive to The Owl Pen can be somewhat daunting (signs are small and few and directions are confusing); yet the scenery  - verdant farmlands:

grazing Holsteins; old shuttered New England farm houses with their red barns; not too distant views of the Green Mountains of Vermont:

and the tree shaded, stone fence-lined, dirt Riddle Road which gives one the feeling of going back in time – makes the trip a delight.  

And, to a collector of late 19^th and early 20^th century decorative publishers’ bindings, The Owl Pen is a mother lode!  

This tucked-in-the-woods 51-year-old bookshop, which currently stocks about 80,000 books, is charming in its simplicity and hodgepodge organization. 

Edie Brown, co-owner of the shop, is most accommodating and helpful in locating her customers’ requests.  Edie located for me to peruse her copy of Richard Minsky’s “The Art of American Book Covers: 1875-1930" (which I have since ordered via her instructions) and pointed me in the direction of many wonderful finds – some rare initialed and un-initialed Margaret Armstrong covers, a couple of old James Fenimore Cooper titles, and several beautiful nature titles.   I was even able to locate a late 19^th century Sarah Wyman Whitman-designed John Burroughs title for my sister’s collection and a small leather devotional which I gifted to a friend. 

The grounds and views from The Owl Pen are lovely and browsers are invited by the owners to bring a picnic lunch.  Located at 166 Riddle Road, about 7 miles from Greenwich, New York, it is best to call ahead for directions at 518-692-7039.  This well-hidden gem of a book shop is well worth a visit on Wednesday through Sunday during its May through October season (noon to six) and by appointment in the winter.  I can hardly wait to go back during the majestic fall foliage!

A Favorite Antiquarian Book Purveyor – The Lyrical Ballad

One of my very favorite brick-and-mortar bookshops is the Lyrical Ballad in Saratoga, New York. I visit this charming site every August – during racing season - when we stay at our family's beloved 85 year old Adirondack “camp” at Sacandaga Lake, New York, about 20 miles to the north. This bookshop, owned by John and Jan DeMarco, and named after the Wordsworth poetry title, has been a cornerstone of downtown Saratoga for 35 years.
What is special about this shop is that it is truly a “labyrinth of books”. How I love to wander through the labyrinth of rooms containing SO many wonderful old books and prints! The shop is located at 7 Philadelphia Street, right off Saratoga’s main street, Broadway, in the lower space of a former bank building. The original bank vault remains, but instead of being filled with bags of money, it is loaded with rare and scarce biblio-treasures - this is certainly one place laden with late 19th and early 20th century decorative publisher’s bindings! The front rooms are stunning, lined with corniced wood shelves that frame these precious jewels to great effect. The accompanying photos show the two bookcases I most covet and from which I have purchased many a wonderful tome: an antique revolving bookcase that looks like a castle turret…
… and the glass-fronted bookcase of precious miniature books.
And then, there is the DeMarco’s extensive collection of fabulous old bookends displayed above all the shelves. The Demarcos sell books previously owned by Audubons and by Melvilles - as in Herman of Moby Dick fame! When I ask for more titles illustrated by my beloved Margaret Armstrong, I am told of many still remaining in the DeMarco’s storage facility, which have not yet been transported to the bookshop!

Do visit this treasure of a book shop if you are ever in the Saratoga Springs area (and be sure to sample the waters from the many springs!). The store is open every day, with extended hours during the Summer Racing Season. The DeMarcos can be contacted at (518) 584-8779 or send an email to: lballad@nycap.rr.com for more information