George Sabo (January 18, 1896 – February 15, 1983) was a Slovak-born American publisher and book dealer specializing in Slavic-language materials.
Sabo was born in Orechova, Slovakia and immigrated to New York in July 1913. [1] Sabo was inspired to become a book dealer as a child when his father took him to Julij Feldesi's bookstore. [2] He became a naturalized American citizen in April 1926. [1]
In 1936, Sabo began his work as a book dealer with the purchase of 18,000 Russian books. [2] With John M. Constantinoff and Israel Perlstein, Sabo is considered to be "well-established in the historiography of the Russian antiquarian book in New York". [3] One of his clients was Russian bibliophile Andrey Avinoff. [4] Another important client was Paul M. Fekula, whose collection of Slavica was the largest assembled by an individual in the United States. [5] Sabo also contributed Slavic books to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, helping the University develop the largest Slavic collection west of the Mississippi by the 1970s. [6] In addition to his work as a book dealer, Sabo was also involved in the publication of Rusyn books and periodicals. [7] Until the 1950s, Sabo's publishing house was one of the two largest sources of Rusyn-American literature. [8] He also served as Secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Greek Catholic Union. [2] Sabo later moved to Melbourne, Florida, where he continued his business under the name Slavic Books. [9]
After his death, the majority of his 16,000 book collection was acquired by Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A & M University. [10] An additional 432 books from his collection were donated to Seton Hall University Library in 2012. [11]
George Sabo (January 18, 1896 – February 15, 1983) was a Slovak-born American publisher and book dealer specializing in Slavic-language materials.
Sabo was born in Orechova, Slovakia and immigrated to New York in July 1913. [1] Sabo was inspired to become a book dealer as a child when his father took him to Julij Feldesi's bookstore. [2] He became a naturalized American citizen in April 1926. [1]
In 1936, Sabo began his work as a book dealer with the purchase of 18,000 Russian books. [2] With John M. Constantinoff and Israel Perlstein, Sabo is considered to be "well-established in the historiography of the Russian antiquarian book in New York". [3] One of his clients was Russian bibliophile Andrey Avinoff. [4] Another important client was Paul M. Fekula, whose collection of Slavica was the largest assembled by an individual in the United States. [5] Sabo also contributed Slavic books to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, helping the University develop the largest Slavic collection west of the Mississippi by the 1970s. [6] In addition to his work as a book dealer, Sabo was also involved in the publication of Rusyn books and periodicals. [7] Until the 1950s, Sabo's publishing house was one of the two largest sources of Rusyn-American literature. [8] He also served as Secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Greek Catholic Union. [2] Sabo later moved to Melbourne, Florida, where he continued his business under the name Slavic Books. [9]
After his death, the majority of his 16,000 book collection was acquired by Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A & M University. [10] An additional 432 books from his collection were donated to Seton Hall University Library in 2012. [11]