Bengaluru’s bustling Church Street has long been a haven for book lovers, with an array of popular bookstores that cater to every literary taste. Now, there's a new addition to this literary hub, offering something special for collectors and book curators alike.

The Antiquarian Bookworm, a newly launched section at the beloved Bookworm bookstore on Church Street, opened its doors today, November 18, for the city’s readers and collectors.

This unique collection features around 2,000 rare and carefully curated books, including signed modern classics, beautifully printed letterpress editions, illustrated works, books about books, and rare South Asian titles.

The rare and collectable book collection at Antiquarian Bookworm is the brainchild of VR Ferose, a San Francisco-based technologist with roots in Bengaluru, and Pradeep Sebastian, a book collector and author.

In a report by The New Indian Express, Ferose shared that India is home to only a handful of antiquarian bookshops, and this marks the first of its kind in Bengaluru.

One of the standout pieces in the collection is a presentation copy of a book given by Mahatma Gandhi to Rabindranath Tagore, and another by Tagore to Gandhi — both unique, with only one surviving copy in the world.

"I want people to experience these rare pieces, so I’m putting them on display in the store for everyone to see and appreciate," says Ferose.

The collection spans a wide price range, from as low as Rs 1,000 to up to Rs 1 lakh, making these literary treasures accessible to local bibliophiles.

Needless to say, the book-loving community in Bengaluru is buzzing with excitement over this new literary destination.