Oh Tiffany, there are some really wonderful, wonderful places. Here are my favorites:

Argosy has a little of everything and is always worth a visit. 116 E 59th (at Lexington, I think, or else Park).

J. N. Bartfield at 30 W 57th is excellent.

Bauman Rare Books at 535 Madison is good.

The Manhattan Rare Book Co. at 1050 2nd in the big antique market there sometimes has nice things and specimen books, mostly modern firsts though

Barbara Leibowitz Graphics has lots of illustrated books, posters and other ephemera and v. good prices. She only shows via appointment though but I am sure you can find her online. A lot of the better dealers in NYC will only show via appointment but the good ones will be very happy to talk to you and show you what they have.

Gotham Book Mart is still fun. 16 E 46th.

Leonard Fox has a lot of modern rare stuff, incl. some art and ceramic work in his gallery, and specializes in art nouveau / deco and fashion. He’s at 790 Madison.

Black Sun Books at 157 E 57th is terrific.

James Cummins at 699 Madison is very good.

Svetlana Aronov was very good. She died recently and I am not sure if someone else has taken over her business, but she had a really excellent and varied stock with probably the best stock of Russian avant-garde stuff anywhere.

Ursus Books is very popular, at 981 Madison (upstairs). They have a big stock, nice bright room, obsequious staff who know their stuff.

Martayan Lan is in the Heron Tower at 70 E 55th, several floors up. Lots of maps, and an excellent collection of rare books, mostly history of science and things like that, some incunabula.

I have never been to visit Richard Ramer but he has a HUGE holding of rare books on a tremendously wide variety of subjects. I will visit him on this trip I think. 225 E 70th. He specializes in books on Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Brazil, Africa and Asia.

When I was last there in 1999, Oaklander Books was the best source of secondhand and antiquarian type books I visited. It is over by Chelsea, in an upstairs room in a warehouse/studio building. It is best to call ahead to ensure they are open; I don’t think they keep very regular hours, and most of their business is by catalogue and Internet.

Thanks to both of you. — I’m actually, sort of, in conversation with Oaklander and do hope they are the final group, but if that doesn’t work I am looking for an alternative.

JLT — Amazing list of booksellers. This thread should be added to a thread about what to do when in the big apple.