0
0,00€
An empty cart
You have no item in your shopping cart
Los Angeles is the second-largest US city by population (3.9 million in the city proper, 13 million in the Greater Los Angeles area) and one of the most culturally heterogeneous antiquarian book markets in North America. The LA metropolitan area concentrates film studios, the entertainment industry's private libraries, three world-class research institutions (UCLA's William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, the Getty Research Institute in Brentwood, and the Huntington Library in San Marino), and a deeply established Francophile collector base in the Westside, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, and Silver Lake. La Librairie Antique ships from Paris to Los Angeles County typically in 5 to 9 business days via DHL, Colissimo, or UPS, with full insurance and duty-free clearance under HTS 9903.01.31. Our 30,000+ catalog routinely serves UCLA's Clark Library, the Getty Research Institute, the Huntington, USC's Doheny Library, and private collectors building Surrealist livres d'artistes collections (a particular LA strength given the Getty's modern art holdings), Symbolist literature, and 17th-century travel narratives to the New World. California applies a combined sales tax of 9.5% in Los Angeles (7.25% state + 2.25% LA County and city additions), with international shipping costs excluded from that taxable base.
Shipping to Los Angeles — Rates, Delivery & Colissimo Reference Office
| Service | LA County | Inland Empire / OC | Cost (from) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHL Express | 4-5 business days | 5-6 days | $48 |
| Colissimo International Tracked | 7-10 days | 8-12 days | $28 |
| UPS Worldwide Express | 5-6 days | 5-7 days | $42 |
| FedEx International Priority | 4-6 days | 5-7 days | $50 |
Colissimo parcels enter via the USPS Los Angeles International Service Center (Bell, CA), the primary West Coast ISC. DHL Express clears through LAX CFS typically within 24 hours, with same-day final-mile delivery to most Westside addresses thereafter. For shipments above $5,000 in declared value we strongly recommend DHL with full insurance — the West Coast routing involves more handoffs than the East Coast equivalent.
Los Angeles Antiquarian Bookstore Scene
LA's antiquarian bookshop ecosystem is smaller than NYC's but deep in specialty dealers:
- Heritage Book Shop (Beverly Hills, by appointment) — one of the world's most respected dealers in fine and rare books, especially 19th-century French literature
- The Iliad Bookshop (North Hollywood) — a 100,000-volume used and rare books emporium, broad antiquarian section
- Sam Johnson's Bookshop (West LA / Mar Vista) — Sam Weller-style traditional antiquarian dealer since 1972
Universities & Libraries with Special Collections in Los Angeles
- UCLA — William Andrews Clark Memorial Library (West Adams) — Oscar Wilde, English fine printing, 17th–18th century French Enlightenment imprints, world-class Voltaire collection
- Getty Research Institute (Brentwood, atop the Getty Center) — premier research collection on the history of art, exceptional holdings of French art and exhibition catalogues, livres d’artistes
- Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens (San Marino) — Gutenberg Bible, Audubon’s Birds of America, Sir Hans Sloane’s French scientific library, French Revolution pamphlets
- USC — Doheny Memorial Library / Special Collections — Hollywood and modern American literature, plus growing European holdings
- UCLA — Charles E. Young Research Library Department of Special Collections — French regional history, Provence and Languedoc imprints
FAQ for Los Angeles Buyers
How does shipping to LA compare with NYC for transit time?
LA typically adds 1–2 days versus NYC because direct Paris–LAX flights are less frequent than Paris–JFK, and West Coast ISC processing sometimes involves transcontinental routing for certain carriers. Plan for 5–9 days to LA versus 3–7 days to NYC for the equivalent service tier.
Can you deliver to Getty Research Institute or the Huntington?
Yes. Both institutions accept direct shipments to their acquisitions departments. For the Getty, address to “Acquisitions, Getty Research Institute, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles.” For the Huntington, “Acquisitions, Huntington Library, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino.” Notify the librarian in advance of the expected DHL tracking number.
Are there extra duties at LAX customs compared with JFK?
No. Antiquarian books are duty-free under HTS 9903.01.31 at any US port of entry. LAX customs processing of book parcels averages 24–48 hours via DHL Express, comparable to JFK. No broker required.
Browse Our Catalog
Explore our 30,000+ rare French books — from 16th-century imprints to modern livres d’artistes — and ship anywhere in Los Angeles.
Other US Destinations We Serve
Other Major US Cities:
By State:
