About Tomberg Rare Books
History is fragile.
It survives on the backs of envelopes, in mimeographed newsletters, on broadsides pasted to walls, in handwritten letters folded into forgotten files, and in pamphlets that were never meant to last more than a few days. These are the pieces of history that rarely make headlines when they are created, yet they often become the documents historians rely upon to understand the past.
At Tomberg Rare Books, we believe these voices deserve to endure.
Founded by antiquarian bookseller Andrea Tomberg, Tomberg Rare Books specializes in rare books, archives, manuscripts, photographs, and ephemera that illuminate the people, movements, and ideas that have shaped our world. Our particular strengths include African American history, LGBTQ+ history, women's history, Jewish history, labor, social justice, protest movements, and other underrepresented voices whose stories are often preserved in the most unexpected places.
Every item we acquire is selected not simply for its rarity, but for the story it tells. A protest flyer can reveal the urgency of a movement. A handwritten letter can transform our understanding of a historical event. A small community newsletter may preserve voices that exist nowhere else. We are drawn to material that connects people with history in a personal and meaningful way.
Our clients include private collectors, research libraries, archives, museums, universities, and scholars throughout the United States and abroad. Whether we are helping a first-time collector build a focused collection or placing an important archive into a major institutional repository, our goal is the same: to ensure historically significant material is preserved, studied, and appreciated for generations to come.
Andrea Tomberg brings years of experience in rare books, archives, and historical research to every collection she handles. She is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (FABA), and the Ephemera Society of America. She serves on the Board of Directors of FABA and is a graduate of both Rare Book School and the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar.
Beyond the book trade, Andrea writes about the importance of archives, ephemera, and the documentary record. Her essays explore how seemingly ordinary printed objects - pamphlets, flyers, newsletters, photographs, and manuscripts - shape our understanding of history long after their original purpose has passed. Through her Paper Trails blog, she shares stories from the rare book world, highlights remarkable discoveries, and advocates for preserving the printed evidence of everyday lives.
At Tomberg Rare Books, we believe every collection has a story waiting to be uncovered. Whether you are searching for a rare book, building a research collection, preserving a family archive, or looking to place historically significant material in the right hands, we would be honored to help.
Because history is not only written in books.
Sometimes it survives on a single sheet of paper.