author
A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf) Rosenbach
1876–1952
A legendary rare-book dealer from Philadelphia, he helped shape some of America’s great library collections and turned book collecting into a public fascination. He was also a scholar and writer whose passion for manuscripts and first editions still echoes through the Rosenbach Museum & Library.
2 Audiobooks
Books and bidders : The adventures of a bibliophile
by A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf) Rosenbach
The Unpublishable Memoirs
by A. S. W. (Abraham Simon Wolf) Rosenbach
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1876, Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach became one of the best-known American dealers in rare books and manuscripts. Trained as a scholar and often called “Dr. Rosenbach,” he built a reputation for sharp expertise, lively storytelling, and a talent for finding extraordinary literary treasures.
Working closely with major collectors, he helped build important libraries whose holdings later entered leading public institutions, including the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Huntington Library. He also wrote books of his own, such as Books and Bidders and A Book Hunter’s Holiday, sharing the excitement of auctions, collecting, and literary discovery with a wider audience.
Rosenbach died in 1952, but his legacy remained close to home in Philadelphia. The Rosenbach Museum & Library was founded from the collections of Abraham and his brother Philip, preserving rare books, manuscripts, and art connected to their life’s work.