Rare Book Monthly

Articles - January - 2019 Issue

Utah Man Charged in Large Thefts and Frauds Concerning Collectible Mormon Books and Artifacts

Photograph of Orson Whitney.

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.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Books & Collectors’ Sale
    April 30th & May 1st
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Taylor (Geo.) & Skinner (A.) Maps of the Roads of Ireland, Surveyed 1777. Lond. & Dublin 1778. €500 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Messingham (Thos.) Florilegium Insulae Sanctorum seu Vitae et Acta Sanctorum Hibernia, Paris 1624. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus). The Haw Lantern, L. (Faber & Faber) 1987, First Edn., Signed and dated. €225 to €350.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Valencey (Lt. Col. Chas.) Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, Vols. I-IV, 4 vols. Dublin 1786. €400 to €600.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Powerscourt (Viscount). A Description and History of Powerscourt, Lond. 1903. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Moryson (Fynes). An Itinerary ... Containing His Ten Yeeres Travel Through the Twelve Dominions of Germany, Bohermerland, Sweitzerland…, Lond. (John Beale) 1617. €700 to €1,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: After Buffon, Birds of Europe, c. 1820. Approx. 120 fine hd. cold. plts., mor. backed boards. €125 to €250.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Dunlevy (Andrew). An Teagasg Criosduidhe De Reir Ceasda agus Freagartha... The Catechism or Christian Doctrine by Way of Question and Answer, Paris (James Guerin) 1742. €400 to €700.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: The Georgian Society Records of Eighteen-Century Domestic Architecture in Dublin, 5 vols. Complete, Dublin 1909-1913. €500 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Scale (Bernard). An Hibernian Atlas or General Description of the Kingdom of Ireland, L. (Robert Sayer & John Bennet) 1776. €625 to €850.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: [Johnson (Rev. Samuel)]. Julian the Apostate Being a Short Account of his Life, together with a Comparison of Popery and Paganism,L. (Langley Curtis) 1682. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Nichlson (Wm.) Illustrator. An Almanac of Twelve Sports, Lond. 1898. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) trans. The Light of the Leaves, 2 vols., Mexico (Imprenta de los Tropicos/Bunholt) 1999. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Fleming (Ian). Moonraker, L. (Jonathan Cape) 1955. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) & Egan (Felim) artist. Squarings, Twelve Poems, D. (Hieroglyph Editions Ltd.) 1991. €1,750 to €2,250.
  • Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: ANDERSEN'S EXTREMELY RARE FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT. "Scene af: Røverne i Vissenberg i Fyen." in Harpen, 1822.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST THREE FAIRY TALE PAMPHLETS, WITH ALL INDICES AND TITLE PAGES. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. 1835-1837.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: THE FIRST FAIRY TALES WITH A SIGNED CARTE DE VISITE OF ANDERSEN AS FRONTIS. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. 1835-1837.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: KARL LAGERFELD. Original pastel and ink drawing in gold, red and black for Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes (1992), "La cassette de l'Empereur."
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY OF THE SIXTH PAMPHLET FOR PETER KOCH. Eventyr, Fortalte For Børn, Second Series, Third Pamphlet. 1841. Publisher's wrappers, complete with all pre- and post-matter.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN RARE AUTOGRAPH QUOTATION SIGNED IN ENGLISH from "The Ugly Duckling," c.1860s.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: HEINRICH LEFLER, ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR ANDERSEN'S SNOW QUEEN, "Die Schneekönigin," 1910.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: FIRST EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES IN ENGLISH. Wonderful Stories for Children. London, 1846.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: ANDERSEN ON MEETING CHARLES DICKENS. Autograph Letter Signed ("H.C. Andersen") in English to William Jerdan, July 20, 1847.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY FOR EDGAR COLLIN. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. 1861.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON, DECORATED WITH FANTASTICAL CUT-OUTS, for the children of Jonna Stampe (née Drewsen), his godchildren.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY FOR GEORG BRANDES. Dryaden. Et Eventyr fra Udstillingstiden i Paris 1867. 1868.
  • Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
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    Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR

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