<i>In The News:</i> Ebay Thief Sentenced, Two Exhibitions, Abe's Top 10
- by Michael Stillman
De Brunhoff's preliminary cover design (not used) for first Babar book. Courtesy of Morgan Library.
By Michael Stillman
A 74-year-old Great Falls, Montana, man was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison last month for a massive eBay theft-and-sale scheme he had been running from his home. James Brubaker pleaded guilty to stealing various documents from around 100 libraries across the American and Canadian West. He stole thousands, possibly tens of thousands of items from these libraries, which he then posted for sale on eBay. By the time he was caught, he had thousands of documents in files ready to be sold and shipped, along with countless items already sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Brubaker's scheme collapsed when a librarian at Western Washington University noticed that pages were missing from a book Brubaker had examined. This led to a search for these items on eBay, which found similar ones being offered by one "montanasilver." A couple of purchases revealed these to be the exact copies taken from the university library. With this, some further investigation by authorities, and a search warrant, Brubaker's operation was over. He conceded to the overwhelming evidence and pleaded guilty.
Guidelines called for a sentence of 30-37 months. Prosecutors requested less - two years - as a recognition of the former high school chemistry teacher's cooperation. The judge did not buy into the leniency, saying Brubaker did not deserve it. However, he did sentence Brubaker to the lower end of the guidelines' range at 2 1/2 years. Additionally, Brubaker will have to pay $23,152 in restitution. Most of this will go to Western Washington, but other institutions will get a small piece, including $5 for the Bozeman Public Library.
The Morgan Library and Museum in New York is hosting an exhibition of early drafts and drawings of everyone's favorite French elephant, Babar. Everyone recognizes Babar in his stylish green suit and golden crown, but he did not always look so. He had to grow into his role. The Morgan is exhibiting working drafts and watercolors created by Jean de Brunhoff for the first Babar book, Histoire de Babar, published in 1931. De Brunhoff took the concept from some bedtime stories his wife made up for their children and created the protagonist for this long running enormously popular children's series.
Jean de Brunhoff died in 1937, at the age of 37, but fortunately Babar survived his creator. Jean's son Laurent de Brunhoff took over the job of raising Babar, a role he continues to this day. Also on display are the working drafts and drawings for Laurent's first Babar book, Babar et ce coquin d'Arthur (Babar and his rascal cousin Arthur). Drawing Babar: Early Drafts and Watercolors will be continuing at the Morgan from now until January 4, 2009, and for those who think serious libraries cannot be fun, this exhibition should quickly disabuse you of your theory.
Koller, Mar. 26: Wit, Frederick de. Atlas. Amsterdam, de Wit, [1680]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000
Koller, Mar. 26: Merian, Maria Sibylla. Der Raupen wunderbare Verwandelung, und sonderbare Blumennahrung. Nürnberg, 1679; Frankfurt a. M. und Leipzig, 1683. CHF 20,000 to 30,000
Koller, Mar. 26: GOETHE, JOHANN WOLFGANG VON. Faust. Ein Fragment. Von Goethe. Ächte Ausgabe. Leipzig, G. J. Göschen, 1790. CHF 7,000 to 10,000
Koller, Mar. 26: Hieronymus. [Das hochwirdig leben der außerwoelten freünde gotes der heiligen altuaeter]. Augsburg, Johann Schönsperger d. Ä., 9. Juni 1497. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
Koller, Mar. 26: BIBLIA GERMANICA - Neunte deutsche Bibel. Nürnberg, A. Koberger, 17. Feb. 1483. CHF 40,000 to 60,000
Koller, Mar. 26: HORAE B.M.V. - Stundenbuch. Lateinische Handschrift auf Pergament, Kalendarium französisch. Nordfrankreich (Rouen?). CHF 25,000 to 40,000
Sotheby's Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
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
Sotheby's Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
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
Swann Printed & Manuscript African Americana March 20, 2025
Swann Printed & Manuscript African Americana March 20, 2025
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 7: Thomas Fisher, The Negro's Memorial or Abolitionist's Catechism, London, 1825. $6,000 to $9,000.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 78: Victor H. Green, The Negro Travelers' Green Book, New York, 1958. $20,000 to $30,000.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 99: Rosa Parks, Hand-written recollection of her first meeting with Martin Luther King Jr., autograph manuscript, Detroit, c. 1990s. $30,000 to $40,000.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 154: Frederick Douglass, Autograph statement on voting rights, signed manuscript, 1866. $20,000 to $30,000.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 164: W.E.B. Du Bois, What the Negro Has Done for the United States and Texas, Washington, circa 1936. $3,000 to $4,000.
Swann Printed & Manuscript African Americana March 20, 2025
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 263: Susan Paul, Memoir of James Jackson, Boston, 1835. $6,000 to $9,000.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 267: Langston Hughes, Gypsy Ballads, signed translation of García Lorca's poetry, Madrid, 1937. $1,500 to $2,500.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 274: Malcolm X, Collection from Alex Haley's estate, 38 items, 1963-1971. $4,000 to $6,000.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 367: Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave, Auburn, NY, 1853. $2,500 to $3,500.
Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 402: Anna Julia Cooper, A Voice from the South, Xenia, OH, 1892. $2,000 to $3,000.
![Koller, Mar. 26: Wit, Frederick de. Atlas. Amsterdam, de Wit, [1680]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/2214ca86-0dc9-47be-8bc5-99d9f1c2aa1f.jpg "<b>Koller, Mar. 26:</b> Wit, Frederick de. Atlas. Amsterdam, de Wit, [1680]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000")
![Koller, Mar. 26: Hieronymus. [Das hochwirdig leben der außerwoelten freünde gotes der heiligen altuaeter]. Augsburg, Johann Schönsperger d. Ä., 9. Juni 1497. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/b8b6a630-a01a-4220-ae77-38540d6c898d.jpg "<b>Koller, Mar. 26:</b> Hieronymus. [Das hochwirdig leben der außerwoelten freünde gotes der heiligen altuaeter]. Augsburg, Johann Schönsperger d. Ä., 9. Juni 1497. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.")
