Utah Man Charged in Large Thefts and Frauds Concerning Collectible Mormon Books and Artifacts
- by Michael Stillman
Photograph of Orson Whitney.
Kevin Mark Ronald Schuwer finds himself in a lot of trouble today. Schuwer, a former student at Brigham Young University, has plied the lucrative trade of selling artifacts related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church. Its historic books and artifacts are highly collectible and known to bring high prices. There was one problem with Schuwer's participation in the trade. He was selling stolen or fraudulent material.
He drew the attention of authorities on the basis of one particular theft, which was documented by video cameras. According to an arrest warrant, Schuwer entered the special collections room at the library of Utah State University. Cameras show him filling out a registration form that allows him to gain access to some historic photographs. The affidavit for the arrest warrant continues, "Kevin Schuwer is then seen on camera at 3:31 PM on 10/19/2018 examining a picture later identified as a portrait of a prominent LDS apostle, Orson F. Whitney." Continuing, it says, "Schuwer then manipulates a storage box containing other pictures in what appears to be an effort to obstruct the view of passers-by. Kevin Schuwer then acts as if he is going to put the picture back into its protective envelope. He instead passes the photo under the envelope and slides it into his gray laptop case which is on the table next to him." The video shows Schuwer then putting the empty envelope back in the pile of photos, and at 4:00, he leaves the library.
Schuwer didn't waste any time attempting to cash in on his illicitly acquired photograph. That same evening, he contacts two potential buyers. "Victim A" quickly purchases the photograph. However, he also begins researching the signed photograph and discovers it was listed as belonging to the collection of the Utah State Historical Society. Realizing they rarely sell artifacts from their collection, he returns the photograph for a refund.
Schuwer again doesn't waste any time. He now sells it and four other photos to "Victim B," in California, for $1,500. Meanwhile, "Victim A" contacts Ron Fox, an expert in LDS (Latter Day Saints) artifacts, who in turn contacts Utah State University about the photograph. The Utah State Library checks its collection and finds the empty envelope. They have the registration form filled out by Schuwer and the video of his actions. "Victim B" sends the photograph back and they identify it as the one missing from their collection.
It turns out this was just the tip of the iceberg. "Victim B" had also purchased a rare photograph of Porter Rockwell (Joseph Smith's bodyguard) for $11,500 from Schuwer. That picture belongs to the Daughters of the Pioneers Museum in Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, he quickly agreed to a judgment in a case brought by Tracy Rawle, in which Rawle was awarded $694,701 for purchasing various fake items, including a counterfeit 1835 hymnal for $65,000 and a counterfeit Mormon gold coin for $60,000.
Additionally, Schuwer was charged with selling various items for others but pocketing the proceeds himself. That included a King James Bible once owned by King James for $105,000 and an 1830 Book of Mormon for $105,000. The latter had belonged to the aforementioned collector Tracy Rawle. Rawle was getting defrauded coming and going. Court documents indicate that Schuwer consented to this judgment to avoid paying costs of litigation and likely punitive damages on top of returning the wrongfully withheld funds.
This is not all the crimes alleged against Schuwer. He is said to have stolen eight books from the Brigham Young University Library by borrowing them, and then removing their bar codes, placing the bar codes on different books, and then returning those substitute books instead. He is alleged to have also taken a photograph from BYU and replaced it with a photograph of the photograph.
Schuwer has been charged with three felonies, with potential prison sentences of 5, 5, and 10 years. Meanwhile, he still faces charges in other jurisdictions as well.
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern Now through July 10, 2025
Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Book of Hours by the Masters of Otto van Moerdrecht, Use of Sarum, in Latin, Southern Netherlands (Bruges), c.1450. £20,000 to £30,000.
Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Albert Einstein. Autograph letter signed, to Attilio Palatino, on his research into General Relativity, 12 May 1929. £12,000 to £18,000.
Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: John Gould. The Birds of Europe, [1832-] 1837, 5 volumes, contemporary half morocco, subscriber’s copy. £40,000 to £60,000.
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern Now through July 10, 2025
Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Ian Fleming. A collection of James Bond first editions, 8 volumes in all. £8,000 to £12,000.
Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.R.R. Tolkien. Autograph letter signed, to Amy Ronald, on Pauline Baynes's map of Middle Earth, 1970. £7,000 to £10,000.
DOYLE, July 23: STOKES, I. N. PHELPS. The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498-1909. New York: Robert H. Dodd, 1915-28. Estimate: $3,000-5,000
DOYLE, July 23: [AUTOGRAPH - US PRESIDENT]FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. A signed photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Estimate $500-800
DOYLE, July 23: [ARION PRESS]. ABBOTT, EDWIN A. Flatland. A Romance of Many Dimensions. San Francisco, 1980. Estimate $2,000-3,000.
DOYLE, July 23: TOLSTOY, LYOF N. and NATHAN HASKELL DOLE, translator. Anna Karénina ... in eight parts. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., [1886]. Estimate: $400-600
DOYLE, July 23: ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000. Estimate $1,200-1,800
Freeman’s | Hindman Western Manuscripts and Miniatures July 8, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FRANCESCO PETRARCH (b. Arezzo, 20 July 1304; d. Arqua Petrarca, 19 July 1374). $20,000-30,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF THE VITAE IMPERATORUM (active Milan, 1431-1459). $15,000-20,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF ATTAVANTE DEGLI ATTAVANTI (GABRIELLO DI VANTE) (active Florence, c. 1452-c. 1520/25). $15,000-20,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FOLLOWER OF HERMAN SCHEERE (active London, c. 1405-1425). $15,000-20,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. An exceptionally rare, illuminated music leaf from a Mozarabic Antiphonal with sister leaves mostly in museum collections. $11,500-14,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Exceptional leaf from a prestigious Antiphonary by a leading illuminator of the late Duecento. $11,500-14,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF MS REID 33 and SELWERD ABBEY SCRIPTORIUM (AGNES MARTINI?) (active The Netherlands, Groningen, c. 1468-1510). $10,000-15,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Previously unknown illumination from one of the most renowned Gothic Choir Book sets of the Middle Ages. $6,000-8,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 17th July 2025
Forum, July 17: Lucianus Samosatensis. Dialogoi, editio princeps, second issue, Florence, Laurentius Francisci de Alopa, 1496. £10,000 to £15,000.
Forum, July 17: Boccaccio (Giovanni). Il Decamerone, Florence, Philippo di Giunta, 1516. £10,000 to £15,000.
Forum, July 17: Henry VII (King) & Philip the Fair (Duke of Burgundy). [Intercursus Magnus], [Commercial and Political Treaty between Henry VII and Philip Duke of Burgundy], manuscript copy in Latin, original vellum, 1499. £8,000 to £12,000.
Forum, July 17: Bible, English. The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New, Robert Barker, 1613. £4,000 to £6,000.
Forum, July 17: Bond (Michael). A Bear Called Paddington, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1958. £4,000 to £6,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 17th July 2025
Forum, July 17: Yeats (William Butler). The Secret Rose, first edition, with extensive autograph corrections, additions and amendments by the author for a new edition, 1897. £6,000 to £8,000.
Forum, July 17: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, bound in dark green morocco elaborately tooled in gilt and with 3 watercolours to fore-edge, by Fazakerley of Liverpool, 1841. £4,000 to £6,000.
Forum, July 17: Miró (Juan), Wassily Kandinsky, John Buckland-Wright, Stanley William Hayter and others.- Spender (Stephen). Fraternity, one of 101 copies, with signed engravings by 9 artists. £6,000 to £8,000.
Forum, July 17: Sowerby (George Brettingham). Album comprising 22 leaves of original watercolour drawings of fossil remains of Cheltenham and Vicinity, [c.1840]. £6,000 to £8,000.
Forum, July 17: Mathematics.- Blue paper copy.- Euclid. De gli Elementi, Urbino, Appresso Domenico Frisolino, 1575. £12,000 to £18,000.