The Book-Hunter in London: Historical and Other Studies of Collectors and CollectingRoberts, W. (William)
History
The Book-Hunter in London: Historical and Other Studies of Collectors and Collecting
Roberts, W. (William)
Bibliomania; Book collecting; Booksellers and bookselling -- England -- London
Here is another illustration, gleaned from the Greenwich Police Court: A
person, forty-six, of ladylike appearance, and no occupation, was
charged at Greenwich with stealing a book, valued 4d., from outside the
shop of Charles Humphreys, 114, South Street. She was seen to take a
book from a stall, place it in a novelette, and walk away. Prosecutor
followed, stopped her, and said, 'I've got you now.' She cried out, 'Oh,
for God's sake, don't, don't! Let me pay for it.' But he said, 'No, not
for L5, as you are an old thief.' At her house he found over a hundred
books bearing his private mark, but he could not swear that they had not
been bought. Once he bought some books from the prisoner which she had
stolen from his shop, but he did not know that when he bought them.
Prisoner pleaded guilty to stealing one book, and on her behalf a
solicitor produced a certificate from a medical man, stating that she
was suffering from general weakness of system, loss of appetite,
sleeplessness, and evident mental disorder. Those symptoms he attributed
to causes which induced the magistrate to deal leniently, and a fine of
L5 was imposed.
[Illustration: '_Steals a book, places it in a novelette, and walks
away._']
About a couple of years ago, two maiden sisters, Grace and Blanche ----,
were charged at Bow Street with theft. To all appearances they were
highly respectable members of the community. Grace was seventy-four;
Blanche had only seen sixty summers. They visited Shoolbred's,
apparently wanting to buy some Prayer-books and Bibles. They looked at
many, but none suited them. They left without purchasing anything, no
suspicions being aroused on the part of the attendants. But Detective
Butler and Constable 173 D, who had taken great interest in the old
ladies' movements, saw Grace hand a Book of Common Prayer, a hymn-book,
and ladies' companion to her sister. Shoolbred's manager identified the
articles as the property of the firm, but declined to prosecute on
account of the old ladies' ages. Grace admitted the theft, but said she
did not know what she was doing. A small fine was inflicted.
Even so astute a tradesman as Bernard Quaritch has been victimized by
the book-thief. These are his own words: 'A little dark man, of about
forty-five years of age, with a sallow complexion, apparently a Dutch or
German Jew, speaking in broken English in an undertone, introduced
himself, showing me a business card, "Wunderlich and Co." The following
day the pretended Wunderlich selected books from my stock to the amount
of L270, and said he would come again and select more. At the same time
the little dark, sallow man saw, but refused to buy, a very sweet little
"Livre d'Heures," with lovely miniatures in _camaieu-gris_, bound in
black morocco, with silver clasp. The price of this lovely MS. was 50
guineas. Since then this mysterious little dark man has disappeared, and
my very sweet little "Livre d'Heures," with its lovely miniatures, has
disappeared also.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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