Open Letter to Dealers in the Collectibles Trades: Earlier this month convicted fraudster and thief John Charles Gilkey of California was arrested for a parole violation stemming from a series of incidents in San Francisco late last year. Now that he has been re-apprehended, he will be brought up again on charges either later this month or next in San Francisco. A career criminal, Mr. Gilkey has a long record of defrauding rare book and autograph dealers and dealers in other collectibles, with the use of stolen credit card numbers or with bad checks. His first arrest goes back more than a decade to the 1990s when he was brought up on charges for passing bad checks. He was arrested and jailed for credit card fraud in 2003, then released on parole less than two years later. In autumn 2010 he was arrested again after threatening to burn down a San Francisco print gallery after the manager declined a sale. Mr. Gilkey posted a bail bond for $75,000.00 and subsequently disappeared. There is ample evidence that between last November and his arrest earlier this month, John Charles Gilkey continued to defraud a number of dealers in collectibles, including a Maryland comic book dealer. San Francisco Police have asked members of the collectibles trades to please forward to them any new information concerning fraudulent activity by Mr. Gilkey. His new bail and eventual sentencing largely will be influenced by the number of new crimes that can proved he has committed since he skipped bail... [more An Open Letter to Dealers in the Collectibles Trades: Seeking Additional Information on John Gilkey]

Vladimir Radunsky is an author and illustrator of children's books, and has created illustrations for Mark Twain's Advice to Little Girls, a story originally published in The 30,000 Dollar Bequest and Other Stories. Of Twain's writing, Radunsky says, "He did not squat down to be heard and understood by children, but asked them to stand on their tiptoes—to absorb the kind of language and humor suitable for adults." Please click here to view the slideshow and Radunsky's accompanying post. Slide Show: Mark Twain's 'Advice to Little Girls' by Vladimir Radunsky [more Slide Show: Mark Twain’s ‘Advice to Little Girls’ by Vladimir Radunsky]

Flavorwire has a great post entitled 10 Unconventional Bookstores For Your Browsing Pleasure. Browse away, the photos are great! (And my new mission is to find the 'speakeasy-style' bookstore in NYC!) 10 Unconventional Bookstores For Your Browsing Pleasure [more 10 Unconventional Bookstores]

Last weekend NPR aired a story on the Rare Book School; please click here to listen or read a transcript. A big shout out to the Rare Book School and Michael Suarez! Students Get Up Close and Personal With Rare Books Rare Book School [more NPR Story on the Rare Book School]

Over the past three years, the Center for Book Arts in New York City undertook a collections initiative spearheaded by executive director Alexander Campos. The goal of this initiative was to "organize, rehouse, catalogue and digitize" the work of books artists who have trained, exhibited or worked at the CBA over the past four decades. The results of this project will be displayed at the CBA in an exhibition entitled Multiple, Limited, Unique: Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Center for Book Arts, and will run through September 10. The exhibition will then travel to the Savannah College of Arts and Design (Fall 2011), Minnesota Center for Book Arts (Winter 2012), Museum of Printing History (Spring/Summer 2012), Lafayette College (Fall 2012), and the Book Club of California (Winter 2013). To view the CBA's online collections database, please click here. Collecting at the Center for Book Arts [more "Multiple, Limited, Unique: Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Center for Book Art]

The following items were stolen in Manhattan.  If you have any information pertaining to these items, please contact ABAA Headquarters at 212-944-8291 or hq@abaa.org. Coronation Program for Alexander III of Russia.  Large, elephant folio in black morocco, elaborate Victorian pressing with white silk endpapers.  Belonged to Grand Duchess Olga (sister of Nicholas II).  Believed to be the only copy in circulation. Engravings of St Petersburg in honor of Alexander I.  Large, elephant folio bound in paper.  Mint condition.  A gift from several noble families to Alexander I; dedication to Alexander I included as well as a list of private subscribers in the back. [more Two Rare Historical Items Stolen in Manhattan]

UPDATE: These items were recovered. The following books were stolen in West Springfield, MA. If you have any information regarding any of these titles, please contact Leslie Arthur at 203.789.8081 or leslie_arthur@reeseco.com. 1. AUTHOR: Aiken, Conrad: TITLE: PRIAPUS AND THE POOL AND OTHER POEMS. PLACE: New York: PUBLISHER: Boni & Liveright, DATE: 1925. DESCRIPTION: Cloth, paper spine label. First edition. Inscribed and signed by the author in 1934. Fine in faintly edgeworn dust jacket with a trace of sunning. 2. AUTHOR Lowell, Robert: TITLE: LAND OF UNLIKENESS. PLACE: Cummington]: PUBLISHER: The Cummington Press, DATE: 1944. DESCRIPTION: Pale blue printed boards, lettered in red. Woodcut by Gustav Wolf. Extremities of boards and spine sunned and occasionally rubbed, early ink name on endsheet, along with a clipped press photo of Lowell, four line gloss (in ink) in upper margin of opening page of "Cistercians in Germany," else a good, sound copy. ABSTRCT: First edition of the author's first book, with an introduction by Allen Tate. One of 224 copies, in addition to 26 numbered, signed copies. A key book of 20th century American poetry. 3. AUTHOR: Shapiro, Karl: TITLE: POEMS. PLACE: Baltimore: PUBLISHER: Published by the Author], DATE: 1935. DESCRIPTION: Plum cloth, spine lettered in gilt. Endsheets tanned at gutters, head and toe of spine a bit rubbed, a few marks to cloth, about very good. ABSTRCT: First edition of the poet's first book, issued in an edition of only two hund... [more UPDATED: Several Books Stolen in West Springfield, MA Area]

These items were still missing as of May 30, 2019. The following items were reported stolen: Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood (signed, Limited to 500 Copies, in Original Slipcase).. New York: Random House, 1965. A fine copy in a very good original glassine in original slipcase, printed on special paper and specially bound in a near fine slipcase, signed by the author on the limitation page (458 of 500). There are regular signed copies with a tipped in page but the Limited Edition copies are very scarce especially when in such remarkable condition. Clearly never read and without any marks or external wear of any kind. A small 1" chip off glassine else a fine copy in every respect. Pasley, Fred D.. Muscling In. New York: Ives Washburn, 1931. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Cloth. Very Good / Very Good. 261p. The man who wrote a classic on Capone here shows all the tenacles of organized crime and how its forays into the business world would now allow it to continue its power even after the repeal of the 18th Amendment and bringing an end to bootlegging. A nice copy with only a small bump to upper front corner else near fine. If you can provide any information on either of these books, please contact Alcuin Books at (480) 946-1969 or alcuinx@msn.com [more Stolen: “In Cold Blood” and “Muscling In”]

UPDATE: The item was recovered. A first English translation of the Swiss Family Robinson ("The Family Robinson Crusoe" by M. Wiss) published in two volumes in 1814 in the original publisher's boards (blue-gray paper covered boards) and housed in a green quarter-leather slipcase with chemise went missing from a New England collection over the 4th of July weekend. If someone offers you these books, please assist in recovering them. Detailed images of the stolen books can be provided. If you have any relevant information regarding this book, please contact ABAA Headquarters at 212.944.8291 or hq@abaa.org [more UPDATED: Missing First English Translation of the Swiss Family Robinson]

UPDATE: John Gilkey was apprehended yesterday, July 14th.  He is returning to San Francisco in police custody.  Please be aware that convicted fraudster and thief John Gilkey is operating once again, likely out of northern California.  A comic book dealer in New York state is his latest victim.  Besides defrauding book dealers, Gilkey has also left his dubious mark in the print, stamp, and comics trades.  He was arrested late last year in San Francisco following a parole violation, but was released after he (or someone) posted $75,000.00 bail.  He then disappeared, but is active once again. He is a serious criminal who continually looks for new opportunities and deceptions.  An investigation by the SFPD is ongoing; there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Please do your friends the favor of re-posting this note to any and all lists of allied trades and organizations.  If you have any pertinent information about John Gilkey's recent dealings, please email hq@abaa.org.  Thank you very much. [more UPDATED: John Gilkey Active Again]