Vintage Paper Berlin – A Fair Celebrating Paper as Art

September 18–19, 2026 | Kulturquartier Alte Münze, Berlin

From September 18–19, 2026, the historic halls of Berlin’s Alte Münze will become a stage for paper in all its forms. Vintage Paper Berlin is a new, curated fair bringing together around 45 international exhibitors from the worlds of antiquarian books, photography, poster art, and contemporary paper art.

At the heart of the fair is not simply the individual book, photograph, or sheet, but paper itself — as a sensual, historical, and artistic medium for text, images, and ideas.

From Rare Books to Paper Art

The traditional antiquarian book trade forms the foundation of the fair. Exhibitors will present rare books, prints, manuscripts, ephemera, fine press editions, historical Japanese woodblock prints, and other works that reveal the rich visual and material world surrounding the book.

Photography takes a central role, with international dealers presenting vintage prints, photobooks, and historical photographs — from early scientific expeditions and travel photography to ethnographic documents and later photographic works. Together, they highlight the close relationship between photography and the physical medium of paper.

The fair also explores poster art and the history of advertising, presenting original historical posters where typography becomes image and paper becomes a carrier of messages in public space.

Contemporary artists and book makers bring the story into the present. Artist books, original prints, fine press editions, and works on paper demonstrate how artists continue to explore paper as both medium and subject. Highlights include works by Strawalde (Jürgen Böttcher), Martin Furtwängler, Anna Helm, and Tim Byers Art Books, featuring positions ranging from the classical modern to contemporary art.

Paper as an Artwork in Its Own Right

At Vintage Paper Berlin, paper is more than a support for an artwork — it can be the artwork itself. Swiss publisher Rothe Drucke, for example, draws on the historic traditions of brocade and decorated papers, reinterpreting them through contemporary artistic collaborations.

Across the fair, visitors can discover, collect, and purchase works spanning centuries of paper culture — from early printing and rare books to photography, posters, artist books, and contemporary paper works.

More than a marketplace for collectors, Vintage Paper Berlin is a place for discovery, exchange, and inspiration. Set within the industrial architecture of the Alte Münze, the fair invites artists, designers, collectors, curators, and anyone interested in art and culture to explore the enduring material and cultural significance of paper.

As organiser Michael Schrottmeyer puts it: “We are bringing paper out of the second row.” Vintage Paper Berlin places this remarkable medium centre stage — celebrating its history while exploring its continued relevance in an increasingly digital world.

Vintage Paper Berlin
September 18–19, 2026
Kulturquartier Alte Münze, Berlin