Adrian Harrington
Adrian Harrington | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948 Chelsea, England |
| Occupation | Antiquarian bookseller |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Known for | Presidency of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (2001–2003) and International League of Antiquarian Booksellers; leading ABA Book Fair at Olympia; rare book advisor; published and distributed Queen Anne Press publications; acquisition of Ian Fleming archive |
Adrian Harrington (born 1948 in Chelsea, England) is a distinguished antiquarian bookseller who has held the presidency of both the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) from 2001 to 2003 and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). He has participated as an exhibitor at prominent book fairs worldwide, including events in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Between 2000 and 2010, Harrington led the ABA's premier rare book gathering—the summer ABA Book Fair at Olympia, London—which hosted notable guest speakers such as authors Jacqueline Wilson, Lynda La Plante, Joanna Lumley, and former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion. In addition to his bookselling career, Harrington has contributed as a rare book advisor for Millers Price Guide and has appeared on both BBC and Australian television discussing topics related to books.
History
Adrian Harrington established his business in 1971 on King's Road, Chelsea, before moving to Kensington Church Street in 1997. In 2014, he took ownership of the historic Hall's Bookshop located in Tunbridge Wells, relocating his operations there. The enterprise focuses primarily on English Literature, first editions, and antiquarian volumes by authors such as Winston Churchill, Arthur Conan Doyle, Graham Greene, J.K. Rowling, with a particular emphasis on Ian Fleming. The shop is overseen by bibliographer and James Bond archivist Jon Gilbert, who is affiliated with the Ian Fleming Foundation (IFF) and the Crime Writers' Association (CWA). During the late 1990s and into the 2000s, Harrington organized book signing events featuring James Bond author Raymond Benson, which were attended by prominent individuals including Ian Fleming’s literary agent Peter Janson-Smith and members of the IFF leadership. Furthermore, the shop served as a filming site for the 2005 literary comedy-drama Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, starring Joan Plowright and Rupert Friend.
Since 2010, Adrian Harrington has broadened his activities to include publishing and acts as both stockist and distributor for publications from Queen Anne Press. In 2022, collaborating with Peter Harrington, his company acquired an important Ian Fleming archive from manuscript collector Martin Schøyen.