'Rise and Fall' of a Classic Book

Planet Books is a Zaferia-area staple on Anaheim Street, opening doors 17 years ago. A must for those interested in off-the-wall books and other vintage publications. “We like to think of ourselves as a collector’s bookstore with toys, sci-fi and adventure and other kind of books, yet affordable, many of which sell for a dollar including tax,” said co-owner James Rappaport. “We do not carry romance novels.” Despite the popularity of Kindle and other on-line ways of accessing the printed word, “A lot of people don’t like the computer,” said Rappaport. “It gives some people a headache. A lot of people like the feel of a real book.”

Even so, Planet Books is internet savvy, regularly putting out-of-the-ordinary books on EBay. And with that experience, also does the same for the local library foundation, whenever they get a book considered worth listing. So when the foundation asked them to list volume one of “Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government” by Jefferson Davis, 1881 with “tipped in letter to John Floyd, Secretary of War, dated Feb. 15, 1860,” Rappaport put it on his back room shelf to photograph in preparation of listing it, estimating it might attract bids as high as $4,000, which the shop would split with the foundation.

The shop has been posting for the foundation for “probably 10years or more. We had some really good things in the past, but this was the big one. They had gotten a big collection in a donation, books ended up not being used in the library. I’ve had the book for more than six months and wanted to do a private sale. I was taking photos of it so I could put it online and was keeping it on the back table in my desk area to take photos.

On the June 3rd theft, as Rappaport posted on Facebook. “We just realized that someone has stolen a really expensive book from the store, between 11:30 and noon or so. The guy is about 20 to 25 or so, about 6 feet tall and maybe 160 pounds. Slender with straight black hair and he was wearing a black button down shirt and black pants.” In addition, he also possibly stole another book on the history of pin-ups.

Just before the theft, “an older man, who said he was from Atlanta where he had been an attorney, came in the shop. He spoke slowly. Then the other younger man came in and began looking through aisles. He was near the back room, looking at the girlie section. We asked the older man if he was interested in the Civil War and Confederate related books. We told him we had a book on the ‘Rise and Fall’ and he said he might want to make an offer.

“About then, the older man got a call and said he had to take this call where he couldn’t be overheard. We invited him to take the call in the patio, but he said he’d take it on the sidewalk and left. Then the younger man, who had been looking at some Mad Magazines and lead soldiers and was hovering and listening in on the conversation walked out of the store quickly. We thought he had probably taken something from the shelf with the pin-up history, but when I went back, the ‘Rise and Fall’ was missing.

“The man from Atlanta said he was 52, not real tall, really heavyset, close to 400 pounds. He gave us an email address, which we checked. It didn’t coincide with his age and location.” The police were called, but did not take a report unless the book owners were willing to press charges, about which the foundation declined.

According to Rappaport, the foundation commented that these things happen and did not express anger over the loss. He hopes they will still consign books to be sold on EBay.

About the issue of pressing charges, police media relations confirmed this “sounds like our policy.” Former LAPD Deputy Chief Steve Downing viewed this policy as incorrect, that it’s a “crime against the state. What if a bookstore down the street has a book stolen by a similar suspect? There’d be no record of this similar theft to investigate.”

Still, the theft rankles as Rappaport made a Facebook posting on the theft. “We talked to other dealers” to see if this matched any incidents they encountered. “They thought this a moment of opportunity,” as opposed to a theft planned by the two men who were in the store at the time.

However, he does not reject that it was possible the two men knew each other, especially since the lawyer did not return after taking the call, though he had left several books he had intended to purchase and could not be reached through email.

But back to the Confederacy book. “Since it was on consignment, getting it back is the most important thing right now. A reward will be offered.”

steve@beachcomber.news