Ankh Antiquarian Books, founded in 1989 by Jennifer Jaeger, is a premier destination for rare antiquarian, New and Second-hand books specialising in Ancient Egypt and History. Jennifer has a BA from Swinburne University with majors in Literature, Media & Philosophy.
From humble beginnings
started as a single bookshelf in Roverco, 1989 – a legacy built over decades
Originally Ankh Antiquarian Books was a book exchange at Roverco; which was one of Jennifer’s early businesses which was a classic car parts company, in Oakleigh – with only a single bookshelf dedicated to Ancient Egypt.
Ankh moved to its current location in 1991. The book exchange was sold and my interest in Ancient Egypt and other ancient civilizations was given free rein. Ankh grew into a thriving business with nearly 15,000 books and personalized sourcing services globally.
In 2019 Jennifer was joined by her daughter Laura in the business, ensuring a seamless generational transition. Visits to the shop, now an established home for Egyptology and history enthusiasts, Rare book viewings are only by appointment.
Additionally, Ankh boasts a robust online presence, catering to a global audience of collectors and researchers. You can find us on Ebay and Biblio and soon ABE.
Our collection includes back copies of notable magazines such as KMT: A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt (USA), the Egyptian Archaeology Bulletin (EES UK), and Minerva: The International Review of Ancient Art and Archaeology and The Nile, an Australian Magazine.
In 1990, Ankh Antiquarian Books became a representative for the Egypt Exploration Society in Australia, for the next 23 years we actively promoted society publications including the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology and the Egyptian Archaeology Bulletin.
– Egypt Exploration Society
We still encourage Egyptophiles to join the EES and their local societies.
A lovely customer went out of their way to pick up a physical copy of The Sunday Times and send it to us, it truly means the world!
Moments like these remind us how special our book-loving community is, and we’re beyond grateful for the support.
Connecting with international booksellers and expanding our horizons
Being featured in The Sunday Times was a significant moment for us at Ankh Antiquarian Books. It highlighted our passion for rare and antiquarian books while showcasing the connections we’ve built within the global bookselling community.
Traveling internationally allows us to source exceptional books, reconnect with old friends, and collaborate with esteemed booksellers worldwide.
