Rare-books dealer Kinsey Marable is in the business of creating private libraries for a discerning and literate clientele. When he's not searching the globe for first editions, he can often be found at his Georgetown office or nearby home, which is featured in the March/April 2008 issue of Southern Accents. Here, Marable shares some of his favorite neighborhood finds, plus his top tips for designing the perfect library and stocking your own shelves.
WHERE TO SHOP
David Bell Antiques
Washingtonian magazine wrote that owner David Bell "has an eagle's eye and a poet's soul"; his shop's mix of furnishings is
equally spirited. 1655 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202/965-2355.
Marston Luce
A well-edited selection of fine 18th- and 19th-century French antiques. 1651 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202/333-6800.
Miller & Arney Antiques
Eighteenth- and 19th-century American, English and Continental furnishings in a range of styles, including Queen Anne, Georgian,
Regency, Empire, and Biedermeier. 1737 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202/338-2369, www.millerarney.com.
Susquehanna Antiques
Eighteenth- and 19th-century American, British, and European antiques and fine art. The storied shop was founded in Port Deposit,
Maryland, in 1913 by current owner David N. Friedman's grandfather and was originally located along the Susquehanna River.
3216 O St. NW, 202/333-1511, www.susquehannaantiques.com.
WHERE TO EAT
Martin's Tavern
A classic Georgetown watering hole featuring good martinis and pub food. 1264 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202/333-7370, www.martins-tavern.com.
Designing the Perfect Library: 10 Essentials
1. A mahogany library ladder
2. The Oxford English Dictionary -- all 13 volumes
3. The smaller Oxford English Dictionary in one volume
4. Top-quality brass library lights placed at the top of shelves for downlighting
5. A comfortable reading chair
6. A well-stocked bar tray
7. A working fireplace
8. A handsome library table on which to stack books
9. Books -- not objects -- crammed on the shelves
10. And, finally, the Country Life series on English country houses: Caroline, Baroque, early Georgian, mid-Georgian, and late Georgian
WHAT TO BUY
If Marable were tailoring a collection of first editions for himself, here's what he would buy:
- The Art and Technique of Color Photography by Alexander Liberman (1951). The most extraordinary collection of fashion photography -- bar none.
- A Wonderful Time by Slim Aarons (1974). Stylish, chic people living the high life -- the coffee-table book of the 20th century.
- The Four Books of Architecture by Andrea Palladio (1738). The benchmark for all classical architecture -- itself a work of art.
- Fragments on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening by Humphry Repton (1816). Repton's last treatise chronicles the building of England's great country houses. Hand-painted illustrations make this a masterpiece.
- Vogue 's Book of Houses, Gardens, People by Valentine Lawford, Diana Vreeland, and Horst P. Horst (1968). A legacy of Vreeland's Vogue years.
- Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (1855). Hand-bound by Whitman himself, this tome contains powerful, forever-relevant verse.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960). The Pulitzer Prize winner is a landmark in American literature.
- The Birds of America by John James Audubon (1827-1838). With 435 life-size, hand-colored plates, these two $8 million folios will set your library apart.
- The Dictionary of English Furniture by Percy Macquoid and Ralph Edwards (1924). Widely regarded as the classic illustrated work on the history of English furniture.
- Notes on the State of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson (1787). This London edition is Jefferson's only book.
RESOURCES: Kinsey Marable, 202/337-3802, www.privatelibraries.com.
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