Pom Harrington

Spear’s Review

Pom Harrington is the second generation owner of Peter Harrington Rare Books, but didn’t set out to be a book dealer. He tells Spear’s, ‘I started at the shop as a “Saturday boy” when I was about 14, and I don’t think I would ever have imagined then that I would be taking over the reins of the business, heading two bookshops and a staff of over 60.’

Harrington takes pride in the discovery of a first edition of Frankenstein inscribed by Mary Shelley to Lord Byron, which sold for £350,000. He believes that the value of these objects is fundamentally personal and treasures the relationship between a dealer and the customer, whether it’s online or in his shops in Chelsea and Mayfair.

He said: ‘I have to confess my interest and love of the book is the object. It’s what the book represents and the story behind that particular copy that I find special.’