Virtual Lunch and Learn: Lessons of a Bookseller

What can more than three decades spent among rare books, manuscripts, libraries, auctions, and collectors reveal? Join us for a fascinating Lunch & Learn with Darren Winston, Senior Director and Senior Vice President at Freeman’s and Head of its Books & Manuscripts Department, as he shares stories from a career devoted to discovering, researching, and placing remarkable pieces of history. In Deductions of a Bookseller: 32 Years and Counting Poking Around Bookshelves, Darren will take us behind the scenes of three particularly memorable discoveries, including one with a remarkable connection to Georgia’s fight for independence: A Treasure from George Washington’s Home Returns John Hancock’s July 6, 1776 Letter to the State of Georgia Announcing American Independence A Scottish Country House Library From the return of an important object to George Washington’s home to an extraordinary letter carrying news of American independence directly to Georgia, Darren’s stories demonstrate how books and manuscripts can provide a tangible connection to the people and events of the past. Darren began his career as a New York bookseller in 1995 and has spent more than 30 years working with rare books, manuscripts, art, and collectors. In addition to his work at Freeman’s, he is a books and manuscripts appraiser on Antiques Roadshow and a trustee of Philadelphia’s Rosenbach Museum & Library. Grab your lunch and join us for an entertaining virtual journey through bookshelves, libraries, and some extraordinary encounters with history. November 19, 2026 12 p.m. Zoom Space is limited. Register today!