by Redazione 19/10/2026
Categories: Exhibitions / Disclaimer
From October 23 to 25, 2026, the residence designed by Piero Portaluppi will host the third edition of the Antique and Rare Book Fair, organized by the FAI in collaboration with the Association of Italian Antiquarian Booksellers. More than forty Italian and international exhibitors will present first editions, illustrated works, manuscripts, and historical documents.
From October 23 to 25, 2026, Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan will host the third edition of the Antique and Rare Book Fair, an event organized by FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano ETS in collaboration withthe Association of Italian Antiquarian Booksellers (ALAI). The rooms of the mansion, designed in the 1930s by architect Piero Portaluppi, will host over forty Italian and international exhibitors, featuring items such as manuscripts, incunabula, first editions of literary works, artistically bound books, autographed books, illustrated children’s books, maps, antique prints, and works of art on paper.
The event is aimed at collectors, scholars, and enthusiasts, who will be able to browse and purchase volumes and documents of particular historical, artistic, and cultural interest. The exhibition will cover various fields of book production, ranging from literature to the sciences, from history to art, from geography to esotericism, and even to economics and pastimes. The event is organized by ALAI, an association that brings together antiquarian bookstores operating throughout Italy and is the only Italian trade organization affiliated with the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). The international federation brings together 22 national associations, present in 39 countries, and over 1,600 specialized booksellers.
Italian and International Bookstores
Among the Italian bookstores present at Villa Necchi Campiglio is the Libreria Antiquaria Pregliasco of Turin, founded in 1911, which offers an extensive selection ranging from incunabula to 20th-century editions. Also in attendance will be the Libreria Docet from Bologna, in business since 1946 and specializing in antique and rare books, first editions, manuscripts, and autographs. The Libreria Antiquaria Oreste Gozzini, whose history dates back to around 1850 when it was located in Piazza del Duomo in Florence, is another of the event’s historic participants.
The international scene will be represented by the Librairie Clavreuil in Paris, opened in 1901 and specializing in volumes related to great discoveries, science, literature, and travel journals, and by Antiquariat F. Neidhardt, a German bookstore founded in 1953 and dedicated to illustrated books from the 15th to the 20th century.
The variety of exhibitors reflects the different specializations within the antiquarian book market. Giuseppe Solmi Studio Bibliografico will present Western and Eastern medieval manuscripts, while Ai Tre Torchi, a Turin-based gallery founded in 1989, will offer works of art on paper. Bulino Antiche Stampe will focus on prints and drawings by masters from the 16th to the 21st centuries; Kühn Rare Books & Art will bring antique books dedicated to the exact sciences and natural history. Antiquariat Hans Lindner, on the other hand, will present children’s books, illustrated volumes, and first editions from the 20th century. The complete list of exhibitors is available on the website www.villanecchicampiglio.it.
From Proust to Goya: The Rarest Works on Display
Among the volumes announced for this edition are three important works of European culture that will be presented by Librairie Clavreuil of Paris. The first is the complete first edition of Marcel Proust’s *À la recherche du temps perdu*, published in Paris between 1913 and 1927 and comprising thirteen volumes, bound by Gruel. The bookstore will also offer the very first edition of Victor Hugo’s *Les Misérables*, published in Brussels in 1862 in ten volumes and preserved in elegant contemporary bindings. Rounding out the selection is the first complete edition of Francisco Goya’s *Los Caprichos*, published in Madrid in 1799: this copy includes the famous eighty engravings in which the Spanish artist depicted the vices, superstitions, and abuses of power in the society of his time.
Also of particular interest is the autograph manuscript by Giosuè Carducci offered by Libreria Antiquaria Pregliasco. It is the draft of the 1896 article “Giacomo Leopardi, Member of Parliament,” which retains corrections, variations, and passages censored in the printed version. The document offers insight into the text’s development by the poet—a Nobel Prize laureate in Literature—and his reflections on the figure of Leopardi.
Studio Bibliografico Bruno Pucci, based in Naples and specializing in illustrated antique books and works on local history, will present *Il Mondo Festeggiante* by Giovanni Andrea Moniglia and Andrea Carducci, published in Florence in 1661. The volume documents the celebrations for the wedding of Cosimo III de’ Medici and Margherita Luisa d’Orléans, which took place through a grand equestrian ballet staged in the Boboli Gardens.
The Parisian antiquarian bookstore Fuad Audi, meanwhile, will bring to Milan Ladislao Rupp’s *Raccolta di ventiquattro vedute di Milano* (Collection of Twenty-Four Views of Milan ), published in 1833. The plates, finely engraved and hand-colored, depict the city’s monuments and landmarks, offering a glimpse into the urban landscape and Milanese life in the 19th century.
Dedicated to the history of printing is Giambattista Bodoni’s *Manuale Tipografico*, published in Parma in 1818 and presented by Studio Bibliografico Antonio Zanfrognini. The work stands as a fundamental testament to the formal innovation and elegance of neoclassical typography. The same studio will also present Pierre Henri de Lombard du Castellet’s*Archéomètre rosacrociano*, an extremely rare print from 1751 depicting a complex symbolic system linked to 18th-century Hermetic culture.
Another volume from Zanfrognini’s selection is *L’idea di un prencipe et eroe Christiano in Francesco I d’Este* by Domenico Gamberti, published in Modena in 1659. This illustrated book, accompanied by sixty copperplate engravings, was created to commemorate Duke Francesco I d’Este and his solemn funeral.
Atlases, European History, and Games of the Past
European cartography will play an important role thanks to the works presented by Antiquariat F. Neidhardt. Among these is Claudius Ptolemy’s *Geographicae enarrationis libri octo*, published in Strasbourg in 1525 and illustrated with fifty woodcut maps. The volume includes one of the earliest prints of Lorenz Fries’s famous map, which uses the name “America” to refer to the New World.
Also featured in this section is Abraham Ortelius’s *Theatrum oder Schawplatz des Erdbodems*, published in Antwerp in 1572–1573. This is a rare first German-language edition of the famous atlas, considered one of the foundational works of modern cartography. The volume stands out for its sixty-nine maps, characterized by delicate hand-coloring from the period.
Studio Bibliografico Orfeo will exhibit Tormod Torfaeus’s monumental *Historia rerum Norvegicarum*, published in Copenhagen in 1711. Comprising four volumes, the work traces the history of Norway from its origins to 1387, based on ancient manuscripts, Norse sagas, royal genealogies, and documents preserved in the royal archives.
The economic and social history of Milan, on the other hand, will be documented by a collection of Statutes and Constitutions of the ancient Milanese guilds from the 16th to the 18th centuries, presented by Maspero Libri Antichi, based in Como. These texts offer insight into the organization of the guilds and the regulations governing the city’s economic activities in the modern era.
Alongside historical and scientific works, there will also be publications dedicated to less conventional subjects. Libri nel Borgo will present *Al gioco cinese chiamato il rompicapo*(*The Chinese Game Called the Puzzle*), printed in Florence in 1818. This rare booklet is dedicated to the tangram, a game of Chinese origin that uses seven geometric pieces to form different shapes. The edition includes twelve sepia-toned engraved plates and features 133 figures to reconstruct, including alphabets, numbers, animals, and curious characters.
Events: Paper Conservation and Handwriting
The event program also includes two sessions dedicated to the conservation of works on paper and the practice of handwriting. On Saturday, October 24, at 11:00 a.m., there will be a session titled “Restoring a Work on Paper,” led by Elena Allodi, a conservator specializing in the preservation and restoration of works of art on paper and parchment. Drawing on her professional experience, Allodi will explain to the public practical methods and measures to prevent the deterioration of this fragile material. The session, which is free to attend, will also offer an opportunity to learn more about specific restoration and conservation projects carried out on drawings from the Guido Sforni Collection and the Portaluppi Archive, currently on display at Villa Necchi.
On Sunday, October 25, at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., “ABC: Handwriting Workshop” is scheduled, led by gallery owner and calligrapher Jean Blanchaert. The activity will guide participants in discovering the techniques and tools of calligraphy, offering them the chance to experience handwriting firsthand.
The workshop will last 75 minutes and is recommended for ages 12 and up. The program aims to draw attention to the physical relationship with paper and pen, the time required for writing, and the manual dimension of the written word. Participants will have the opportunity to explore calligraphic techniques, learn about the tools used in this discipline, and put their skills to the test through hands-on practice. The initiative, which requires advance registration and a fee, invites reflection on the artisanal aspect of writing—an aspect often overshadowed today by the widespread use of digital tools.
Event Information
The third edition of the Antique and Rare Book Fair will take place at Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan from Friday, October 23, to Sunday, October 25, 2026, under the patronage of the City of Milan. To view the complete list of exhibitors and information about the event, visit www.villanecchicampiglio.it.
The 2026 Calendar of Events at FAI Properties is made possible with the support of companies that share the FAI’s commitment to the protection and promotion of Italy’s historical, artistic, and landscape heritage. Among these is Ferrarelle, a partner for institutional events and the Foundation’s Official Water. Nims, a Lavazza Group company, is strengthening its support for the FAI in 2026 as a sponsor, while Pirelli, which has stood alongside the Foundation since 2005, is renewing its partnership for the fourteenth consecutive year.
Joining them is PiùMe, a retailer specializing in personal care and home care products, which is sponsoring the project for the first time. Mitsubishi Electric, meanwhile, has supported the FAI for over fifteen years and, starting in 2025, has chosen to renew and strengthen its commitment through even more significant support. The FAI also thanks Coop Lombardia, sponsor of events at FAI properties in Lombardy. Villa Necchi Campiglio is a museum recognized by the Lombardy Region.
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| Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Atlases: The Antique and Rare Book Fair Returns to Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan |
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