Desert Wind Rare Books' Christian Fassbender on the Occult Book Market, CABS, and Collecting King Arthur

Our Bright Young Booksellers series continues today with Christian Fassbender, proprietor of Desert Wind Rare Books.

How did you get started in rare books?

Growing up I was a very avid reader. To the point where I would regularly hide myself away from the world and escape into the pages. I cherished going to my public library and just scouring through all the racks of books to find my next adventure. It wasn't until I was in my late teens that I started to also view the book as a collectible item. Around that time I was living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I began to scour my area for estate sales and garage sales. Occasionally I would go to this rare bookstore in uptown, but honestly I couldn't afford anything there, and I was also intimidated by the employees. I developed a pretty decent collection ranging from history to religious studies, and my favorite, the occult. I was intrigued by some of the early occult figures, and how they challenged the common beliefs of their time to bring a different way of viewing our world, and our own spirituality. I never had the desire to become a practicing occultist, but I found it absolutely fascinating to learn about. 

Shortly after the 2008 recession I lost my collection to heavy water damage from a leaky roof, and I stopped collecting for some years. What started it up again years later was a big life change I experienced. In late 2019 I had a traumatic brain injury from a mountain biking crash. During the long recovery from this, I decided to reevaluate my life, and one part of it that had been missing was collecting books. So just like that I was ready to jump back in, which surprisingly, quickly led me to build up the courage to join the book trade and begin selling books.

When did you open Desert Wind and what do you specialize in?

After selling for a bit, I finally came up with the name 'Desert Wind Rare Books' around the start of 2023. The name just felt right when it came to me. My area is known for its sudden windstorms that pop up out of nowhere, and it reminded me of how rare and unique books would show up for me so randomly. I could look for hours and not find anything, and then, out of nowhere, I’d come across something amazing! Also, the wind has always felt both eerie and comforting to me, a fitting symbol for the books I was generally drawn to. Maybe I was overthinking the name, but I wanted a name that felt right, and this one just clicked.

At first, I was trying to be more of a generalist, picking up anything pre-1900, everything from history to occultism to theology and religion, with the occasional fine binding. But I kept coming back to occultism and esotericism. This was of course due of my personal interest in it, but, I also had a good percentageof my clients ask for more of it. So I started shifting in that direction, focusing on building a good stock of mostly antiquarian occult titles, with the occasional 20th century piece thrown in. 

I’ve come across a couple of pretty hard-to-find occult titles that I’ve bought and sold, which has helped me to make a small name for myself in the occult book market.

What do you love about the book trade?

I love the thrill of the hunt, tracking down rare books and uncovering surprises, like unknown provenance. I also enjoy the satisfaction of connecting a buyer with their perfect book.

But my favorite part of all is the camaraderie among other booksellers. I’ve always felt a bit like an outsider in other areas of my life, like I was connected to things in small ways but never fully belonged. When I started attending book fairs and meeting other dealers, I was overwhelmed at first but immediately felt at ease. So many people were incredibly kind and willing to help when they found out I was new and eager to learn. 

Going to CABS took that feeling to a whole new level. It felt familiar somehow. I loved meeting all the booksellers from all backgrounds, brought together by a shared passion. 

Describe a typical day for you:

A typical day for me can vary, since I still work my other job painting houses. No matter what, I always start my mornings by checking emails, Instagram DMs, and any orders on my website. After that, I review my watched items across various auctions, placing bids as needed and checking back multiple times throughout the day.

On house painting days, I ship items after work and spend the evening cataloging and listing new books. When I have a full day for bookselling, I pack and ship orders in the morning, then focus on paginating, collating, cataloging, and listing items. I do post regularly on social media to showcase new listings, though that varies depending on how busy things are.

Favorite rare book (or ephemera) that you’ve handled?

One of my favorite moments this year was handling a stunning 14th-century illuminated manuscript Book of Hours at the California International Antiquarian Book Fair. That kind of experience really sticks with you.

As for books I’ve actually sold, having a 4-volume set of the 1669 Malleus Maleficarum, or "Hammer of Witches," was absolutely surreal. I could hardly believe I was holding something with that kind of dark history and weight.

I could go on for hours about favorite books I've handled, but those were definitely some standout moments.

What do you personally collect?

My collection has evolved so many times, but a recurring theme is, of course, anything occult. I do also really like books and ephemera related to the King Arthur legends. A small collecting mission im currently on is finding a handful of good illustrations to hang in my (hopefully soon-to-be) new office. I’m after single leaves with odd or creepy woodcuts, lithographs, engravings, and so on. I'm sure my own collection will change many more times over the years.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Balancing two jobs doesn’t leave much free time these days, but I look forward to post-work walks with my wife and our two dogs. When I do have more time, I love skiing, cycling, and hiking - anything outdoors - along with reading and watching a good movie to balance it all out.

Traveling is also a big part of my life. I didn’t get to travel internationally growing up, so my wife and I are making it a point to see more of the world whenever we can. There are so many places we want to experience - the food, culture, art, and, of course, the bookstores! I have so much fun sourcing new material wherever we go, and other bookdealers are usually so excited to meet a dealer from another country! 

Thoughts on the present state and/or future of the rare book trade?

I may not have the years of experience that other dealers have, so my opinion on this might not be the most accurate. I feel like the book industry just continues to change, and create new obstacles to adapt to. That being said, I really do have a positive outlook on its future. I feel like it's become a more inclusive space for many, and some of the negative stigmas attached to it are slowly fading away. I'm excited to see how it changes next!

Any upcoming fairs or catalogs?

On December 6, 7, and 8, I’ll be at the Philadelphia Rare Book Fair, my first fair on the East Coast. February 1 and 2 I’ll be at the California Shadow Fair in San Francisco. And on April 5 I’ll have a table at the NYC Shadow Fair. I'm also preparing my next catalog, scheduled to release this winter. One of my goals for 2025 is to release a catalog for every season.