Bright Young Collectors | December 2024 | Nate Pedersen

Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize Honorable Mention Elena Ganzevoort on Art Nouveau, Jane Austen, and Cranford

Elena Ganzevoort

Our Bright Young Collectors series continues today with Elena Ganzevoort, honorable mention in the 2024 Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize for women collectors aged 30 or younger.

Where are you from / where do you live?

I’m originally from Germany, but I have lived in several countries while growing up. I’ve spent the longest time in Paris, France. Currently I am living in Durham, NC with my husband and our cat.

What do you study at University? What do you do now for an occupation?

I majored in European Literatures and did my postgraduate degree in German Literature in Germany and the UK. After finishing my studies, I worked as a book editor before moving to the US.

Please introduce us to your book collection. What areas do you collect in?

I am a very eclectic collector. I started collecting antique books with illustrations by Hugh Thomson but quickly discovered more book artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries. My main interests are books in the style of Art Nouveau, with a particular focus on Albert Angus Turbayne and Margaret Armstrong. Other books that I love to purchase often have peacocks or thistles on their covers.

How many books are in your collection?

They’re yet to be counted, because one part of my collection is here with me and another one at my parents’ house in France. Shipping from the UK is often cheaper to France!

What was the first book you bought for your collection?

I do not remember the first one. But I remember the first one I found that got me super excited because it had been on my wish list for a long time! It was a copy of Thomas Love Peacock’s Maid Marian & Crotchet Castle, with a cover beautifully designed by Albert Angus Turbayne.

How about the most recent book?

The most recent addition to my collection is the book The Romance of Zion Chapel by Richard Le Gallienne, published in 1898. It is designed by American Art Nouveau artist William H. Bradley.

Elena Wicker

A selection from Elena Wicker's collection

Elena Wicker

A selection from Elena Wicker's collection

And your favorite book in your collection?

An impossible question to answer! I do have a favorite book series that I managed to complete this year, which is known as the Cranford Series. It consists of 24 books that were published between 1876 and 1907 by Macmillan.

Best bargain you’ve found?

My four Jane Austen copies were all bargains, I could not have added them to my collection at the current market value.

How about The One that Got Away?

There are a few that sadly never arrived because they got lost in the mail. The saddest loss was a complete set of Jane Austen’s novels from the 1920s.

What would be the Holy Grail for your collection?

I would really love to own an antique copy of Jane Austen’s Emma, as it is my all-time favorite novel, preferably either in Turbayne’s design for Macmillan or for George Allen.

Who is your favorite bookseller / bookstore?

I don’t have one favorite bookstore, but my favorite city to go book hunting in is Edinburgh, Scotland. There are so many small beautiful antique bookstores and charity shops to browse through, it’s always a guaranteed purchase!

What would you collect if you didn’t collect books?

Besides collecting books, I love to collect fossils and minerals.