Arthur Probsthain
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Arthur Probsthain
| logo = Arthur Probsthain.jpg
| logo_size =
| foundation = {{Start date|1903}}
| founder = Arthur Probsthain
| owner =
| location_city = London
| location_country = United Kingdom
| locations = 2 stores
| area_served = London
| industry = Specialty retail
| products = New, used and rare books
| num_employees =
| homepage = https://www.teaandtattle.com/bookshop
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
Arthur Probsthain is an independent bookstore based in London, specialising in antique Asian and African books.{{cite news |title=Browse a bookshop: Arthur Probsthain, Bloomsbury, London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/25/browse-a-bookshop-arthur-probsthain-books-bloomsbury-top-sellers-and-reads |accessdate=16 June 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=25 February 2018 |language=en}}
History
The bookstore was started in 1903 by Arthur Probsthain at Bury Place, and now bears his name.{{cite web|url=http://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/199202/london.s.oriental.bookshops.htm |title=Saudi Aramco World : London's Oriental Bookshops |publisher=Archive.aramcoworld.com |date= |accessdate=2018-05-30}}{{cite web|author=Eric Abrahamsen |url=https://paper-republic.org/helenwang/more-chinese-books-in-london-arthur-probsthains-bookshop/ |title=More Chinese books in London! Arthur Probsthain’s Bookshop |publisher=Paper-republic.org |date=2013-02-09 |accessdate=2018-05-30}} It has been located at 41 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum, since 1905.
The bookstore has been family owned for nearly a century.{{cite web|url=http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2011-10/19/content_13932093.htm |title=Grand old dame of Russell Street|Books|chinadaily.com.cn |publisher=Usa.chinadaily.com.cn |date=2011-10-19 |accessdate=2018-05-30}} Arthur Probsthain's nephew Walter Sheringham joined him in the business and inherited it on Probsthain's death in 1941. Sheringham married Eve, and their two sons Michael and Lesley joined the business in the 1970s. {{As of|2003}} Lesley's two sons Tim and Christopher (Arthur Probsthain's great-great-nephews) were involved in the business.{{cite web |title=How it all began ... |url=http://www.teaandtattle.com/history |website=Tea and Tattle |access-date=5 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225204127/http://www.teaandtattle.com/history |archive-date=25 February 2024 |url-status=unfit}} There is now also a tearoom, "Tea and Tattle", sharing the premises.{{cite web |title=Tea and Tattle |url=https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d1861210-Reviews-Tea_and_Tattle-London_England.html |website=TripAdvisor |access-date=5 May 2025 |quote=Tea and Tattle is a new Tea Room located at 41 Great Russell Street.... As you walk in the door at 41 Great Russell Street, you walk into a family-run bookshop/gallery, steeped in history (established since 1903).}}
The bookstore claims to be one of the oldest Asian bookstore in London after Bernard Quaritch.
Collection
The bookstore has some 150,000 books. Notable items in its collection include a handwritten Quran.
The store featured in the 1991 novel The Feather Men by Ranulph Fiennes.{{cite web|url=https://www.wordswithoutborders.org/dispatches/article/my-favorite-bookstore-nicky-harman-on-arthur-probsthain-oriental-and-africa|title=My Favorite Bookstore: Nicky Harman on Arthur Probsthain Oriental and African Bookseller – Words Without Borders|first=Nicky|last=Harman|publisher=|accessdate=1 June 2018}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.teaandtattle.com/bookshop}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20231211120738/http://www.teaandtattle.com/bookshop Archived] 11 December 2023
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20240225204127/http://www.teaandtattle.com/history How it all began] History of the bookshop, archived 25 February 2024
{{Bookshops in London}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|51.5178|-0.1268|display=title}}
Category:Antiquarian booksellers