Specialising in rare books and works on paper in the heart of london's mayfair

Bernard Shapero

Bernard is a renowned international dealer in rare books and works on paper. He began buying and selling rare books in 1979 in Gray’s Antiques Market, moving to a purpose-designed gallery in Holland Park in 1989 and then Mayfair in 1996. His specialist knowledge lies primarily in works of Natural History, Travel and Literature, but his years in the rare book world and his enthusiasm for printed and illustrated books in general make him a font of bibliographic knowledge.

Lucinda Boyle

Lucinda joined Bernard Shapero 30 years ago when he first opened a shop in Holland Park. From 1987 to 1996 she ran The Travellers’ Bookshop in Cecil Court selling both antiquarian and modern books. She has a degree in Art History from UCL and is a leading authority not only on Baedekers and other travel guides but also on folding maps, having published 'London: A Cartographic History' and contributed to the History of Cartography project.

Julian MacKenzie

Julian heads our Travel & Exploration department. He has been in the rare book trade for over 40 years, and his knowledge of rare books expands well beyond works on Travel and Exploration. When not working he is a keen practitioner of Chinese martial arts and is a part-time instructor in Tai-Chi. His other favourite pastime is walking his dog. He holds a law degree from Cambridge University.

JEFFREY KERR

Jeffrey has over 30 years’ experience working with rare books and prints. Starting his career with travel books and topographical prints, Jeffrey went on to become MD of a bespoke bookselling business in Mayfair, before crossing over into the auction world working in London, Paris and New York. He joined the Shapero team in 2017 and continues his travels, pandemics permitting.

TABITHA PHILPOTT-KENT

As Shapero Modern’s Gallery Director, Tabitha regularly organises and curates exhibitions at our Maddox Street gallery, as well as representing Shapero at international fairs worldwide including TEFAF Maastricht & New York, Frieze Masters, Masterpiece London and Art Miami. Tabitha specialises in sourcing rare and important prints for international clients, and is on hand to discuss all aspects of collecting.

ROXANA KASHANI

Roxana has been working in the world of rare books and manuscripts for over a decade and joined Shapero after establishing an Islamic book department for a London auction house. Her expertise includes Middle Eastern and Indian printed books, manuscripts and miniatures and she has a particular passion for early Safavid art. Outside Shapero, Roxana is an avid thespian who enjoys choral singing and piano playing.

ADAM BLAKENEY

Adam joined the Shapero team in 2020, bringing with him over 30 years of knowledge of 20th-century literature. Working closely with Bernard Shapero and Angus Robb, Adam focuses on literature and collections.

ELEANOR MOORE

A fluent French and Russian speaker, Eleanor is in charge of our Russian Department, and also works with illustrated books. A graduate of University College London, she has travelled and worked in Russia, including a spell spent on the Siberian Steppes teaching English as a foreign language.

KITTY WONG

Before joining the Shapero team in March 2022, Kitty began her career as the manager of a contemporary art gallery in Hong Kong, going on to work for various museums, galleries and luxury retail brands as a marketing specialist. When not at Shapero, Kitty writes on arts and culture for an audience based in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

HELEN SMITH

Helen joined the Shapero Modern team in January 2022. Having begun her career as a junior specialist in the prints department of a major auction house she then went on to work for a series of blue-chip galleries in London. As Gallery Manager, Helen oversees the running of our Maddox Street gallery, organising and promoting exhibitions and events, as well as joining Tabitha at Art Fairs at home and abroad.

HANNAH LESSITER

Hannah joined the Shapero team in September 2021, having completed a Master’s in Classical Art and Archaeology, in which she specialised in nineteenth-century photography of Greek archaeological sites. She has an extensive knowledge of both Latin and ancient Greek, and has a particular interest in ancient Greek drama. Outside Shapero, Hannah is a practising archaeobotanist and has been working and teaching on sites in Italy since 2019.

SUE PRIGMORE

Sue Prigmore is our antique and decorative prints specialist. She has 30 years’ experience within the rare book and print trade, with a particular interest in natural history, topographical and decorative subjects. As well as working closely with architects, designers, and decorators Sue is more than happy to work with those looking for single items. She also has considerable experience in advising on the conservation and framing of prints and original works of art.

BELA GOLDENBERG TAIEB

Bela is our Judaica & Hebraica specialist. She curated our Millenium of Jewish Culture exhibition in 2016 and has been responsible for our Judaica catalogues ever since. With a Master‘s in Art Business from Sotheby’s Art Institue, she is also a practising visual artist and has been working in the creative industries for over a decade.

ANGUS ROBB

Angus shares responsibility for the Literature department, with particular emphasis on literary and children's classics, as well as arts and sports.

RODDY NEWLANDS

The son of a bookseller, Roddy has spent most of his working life in the rare books trade, including time as an auction house specialist & head of department. Primarily focussed on Modern Literature, Children's Books and Private Press, Roddy currently divides his time between London & Rome.