Marginal Notes 32: Writers and Readers: Gaston Renard
Amongst my book trade archives which include Stuart Sayer’s Writer and Reader columns, published in Melbourne’s The Age newspaper, dating from July 1965 to July 1986, is this interview with Gaston Renard which was aptly headed ‘He is doyen of our antiquarian trade’.
My mother, Muriel Craddock, and I were strongly influenced by Gaston Renard in our early days as Melbourne booksellers. Although he had a reputation of being quite fierce and difficult to know I regarded Mr. Renard as an important mentor. I also had a close association with him during the early 1970s when there was a move to form an antiquarian book trade association. After some false starts, this eventually led to the formation of The Australian and New Zealand Association of Antiquarian Booksellers in 1977.
Perhaps the best way to explain our early experiences with Mr Renard is to quote the following extract from Stuart Kells book "Rare. A life among antiquarian books", published by Folio, Sydney, in 2011.
Along with Margaret Woodhouse, Gaston Renard was a generous mentor to the Craddocks, and in particular to Kay. Their first contact with Mr. Renard was whilst he was in England. Kay had sent a copy of their first catalogue to him:
"Muriel was horrified to learn that Kay had sent a copy of the catalogue to Gaston Renard in England. In Muriel’s opinion the catalogue was much too inconsequential to call for Renard’s attention. Kay persevered, sending their second catalogue to Renard in February 1969. On 3 March 1969 he wrote to the partners, ordering six titles, including two Art in Australia volumes and two natural history titles. Three of the items had already sold, but the partners dispatched the remaining three with excitement. In May Renard wrote again, to remark that ‘We were very pleased indeed with the condition of the books. We look forward to receiving further catalogues from you’. He also sent a list of wants for the partners to look out for. Muriel’s anxiety had its answer. Kay was elated.
On Renard’s return from England he called on the Craddocks. He was a perfect gentleman, and treated them with courtesy as colleagues, rather than as beginners or impostors. Renard was generous with his knowledge. Kay peppered him with questions about cataloguing terms and techniques, collation and other practical aspects of books and bookselling – all of which he responded to with patience.
Renard became one of the principal models for Kay’s bookselling technique. ‘He was unstinting in his advice and guidance to an unknown and inexperienced young bookseller who wanted to be better than she was’. Kay and Renard got along, in part because he had a chivalric side, and in part because the neophyte always deferred to the sage. Also, Kay and Muriel were not direct competitors; Renard was happy for the Craddocks to chase private press books, illustrated books and general antiquarian fare while he hunted the most prized Australiana."
On 9 July 1990 Gaston Renard passed away at the age of 75.
