Jeffrey Ying, aka Alan Fujimori, aka Jason Wang, aka Austin Chen, has been sentenced for his $216,000 manuscript theft from the East Asian Library at UCLA (University of California Los Angeles). He pleaded guilty. The evidence made it logical to do so. It worked out as well as he could have hoped for. He was sentenced to jail, but only to time already served. There will be no fine. However, he will have to pay restitution, an amount to be determined.
The alias who "borrowed" the rare and valuable manuscripts from the UCLA Library was "Alan Fujimori." He created a fake ID with which to take out the material. He created copies that looked like they held the valuable manuscripts but did not contain them. He put something else in there, including blank pages. When he returned them to the library, no one must have checked them very carefully.
After he did this, he would take flights to Hong Kong or Shanghai. Presumably, he was taking the manuscripts with him as these would be of particular interest in China. We can also presume that he returned, not with the manuscripts, but cash instead.
Library officials became suspicious when they learned that "Alan Fujimori" had conducted thefts at other libraries. They checked their video camera film and realized he was the same person as one "Austin Chen," who also visited the library, and that both were the same as Jeffrey Ying. The police were informed. When Austin Chen next came to the library, the police were waiting for him. They discovered he had a key card from a hotel, and when they went to visit his room, discovered the materials needed to create fake books. The evidence was overwhelming. Ying chose to plead guilty, the result being the sentence recently handed down.
One thing we can say about Jeffrey Ying, besides being a crook, is that he is not very smart. Why would you use a fake ID in a name that has already been caught stealing from a library? Another fake ID would not have set off alarm bells, but this one would. Ying should have used the UCLA library to learn how to earn an honest living instead.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Fine restoration binding in the style of the Queen’s binders.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Magnus Hundt, the elder. First edition of one of the earliest printed books with anatomical illustrations.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Agatha Christie. Cards on the Table. First edition.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Beautiful and Damned. First edition, first printing.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. First edition, presentation copy.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Geneva-Tomson-Junius. London: Robert Barker, [colophon 1612]/1611.
Sotheby’s Original Film Posters 10 September 2026
Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: The Invisible Man (1933). Extremely Rare US Leader Press One Sheet. £20,000 to £26,000.
Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: You Only Live Twice (1967). Italian Advance Quattro Fogli. £10,000 to £15,000.
Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: A Dog's Life (1918). Extremely Rare US One Sheet. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: La Belle et la Bête/Beauty and the Beast (1946). French Style A Grande. £12,000 to £18,000.
Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). US Lenticular Prototype One Sheet. £10,000 to £15,000.
Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Théâtre d’Ombres (1897). Exceptionally Rare French Poster. £8,000 to £12,000.
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 702. Munster's Largest 16th Century Edition, with Over 220 Woodcut Maps (1598) Est. $18,000 - $20,000
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 101. Rare Jo Mora "Carte" Showing a NYC-to-Seattle Route through Panama Canal (1933) Est. $900 - $1,100
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 65. The Waldseemuller/Fries "Admiral's Map" (1541) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 46. Contains all 30 Plates from Atlas Coelestis in Full Original Color (1742) Est. $16,000 - $18,000
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 129. The First Map to Name New Scotland and Cape Cod (1625) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 663. The First Printed Map Devoted to the Pacific in Full Contemporary Color (1589) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 629. De Jode's Rare Map of Eastern Asia (1593) Est. $7,500 - $9,000
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 171. De Bry's Influential Map of Colonial North America (1591) Est. $11,000 - $13,000
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 691. Superb Hand-Colored Image of the Holy Trinity (1502) Est. $800 - $950
Old World Auctions (Sept 16): Lot 606. Important, Early Atlas of Japan with 75 Woodcut Maps in Printed Color (1837) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
Koller, Sep. 16: FRANZÖSISCHE REVOLUTION - ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE - Extrait des Procès-Verbaux de L'Assemblée Nationale, Des 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 Août & premier Octobre 1789.
Koller, Sep. 16: MOURADJA D'OHSSON, IGNACE. Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman, divisé en deux parties dont l'une comprend la Législation Mahométane, l'autre l'histoire de l'Empire Othoman [... ]
Koller, Sep. 16: BOTANIK - Blackwell, Elisabeth. A curious herbal, containig five hundred cuts, of the most useful plants, which are now used in the practice of physick.
Koller, Sep. 16: HAIMONSKINDER – Eyn schön lustig Geschicht, wie Keyser Carle der groß, vier gebrüder, Hertzog Aymont von Dordons Süne [...]
Koller, Sep. 16: KRÄUTERBÜCHER - HORTUS SANITATIS - [H]ortus Sanitatis. De herbis et plantis. De animalibus et reptilibus. De avibus et volatilibus. De piscibus et natalibus…
Koller, Sep. 16: GAUGUIN, PAUL, MALER (1848-1903). Eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift und Couvert. An den Künstler und Freund Daniel de Monfreid in Paris.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 24th September 2026
Forum, Sep. 24:A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark, 1746 [bound with] A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster, [c.1755]. £30,000 - £50,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Gafurius (Franchinus). De Harmonia Musicorum Instrumentorum Opus, first edition, Milan, Gotarto da Ponte, 1518. £20,000 - £30,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, first impression, 1937. £10,000 - £15,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 24th September 2026
Forum, Sep. 24: Stackelberg (Otto Magnus v). Costumes et Usages des Peuples de la Grece Moderne, first edition, Rome, 1825. £15,000 - £20,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Piranesi (Giovanni Battista). Le Antichita Romane, 4 vol., Rome, Bouchard and Gravier, 1756. £10,000 - £15,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Henry VIII's Primer.- Church of England.- The Primer, set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie…,, first edition, by Richard Grafton printer to the Princes grace, 1545; bound with 2 others, similar. £10,000 - £15,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 24th September 2026
Forum, Sep. 24: Darwin (Charles). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, fifth edition, ink inscription in the author's hand laid down to half-title, 1869. £6,000 - £8,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Siebold (P.F. von) J.G. Zuccarini and F.A.W. Miquel. Flora Japonica, 2 vol., first edition, Leiden, for the author, 1835-70. £6,000 - £8,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Illuminated manuscript facsimile.- Constitution Of India (The), Dehra Dun, Survey of India Offices, [c. 1950]. £3,500 - £5,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 24th September 2026
Forum, Sep. 24: Mao Tse-tung. Quotations of Chairman Mao, prototype edition, Shenyang, compiled and printed by the Political Department, Air Force Division of Shenyang Military Region, 1963. £3,000 - £4,000
Forum, Sep. 24: Richardson (John). Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, 4 vol., first edition, Norwich, Josiah Fletcher, 1829-37. £4,000 - £6,000
Forum, Sep. 24:Mite (The), the printer/publisher's own copy with the original type and printing blocks for all three of its editions (1891, 1893 & 1896), Grimsby, Ernest A. Robinson, 1891. £3,000 - £4,000.
