What did he steal?
Stephen Blumberg had an affinity for all sorts of books, including rare books. Notably, his collection showcased his interest in early Americana, Native American culture, the American West, city planning, travel narratives, and railroads. Blumberg gravitated towards these subjects in particular, due to his desire to inhabit and to save a forgotten nineteenth-century world. He operated under the belief that he was preserving the past from a system and institutions (libraries) that neglected it (Weiss, 1994).
His extensive collection was organized into groups. In his distinctive handwriting, he marked his shelves with labels such as “Business, Government Materials, Morals”. There was also a shelf organized for “Science, Physical and Applied” (Weiss, 1994).
While Blumberg is best known for stealing and collecting books, he was also interested in acquiring more than just literary texts and library materials. Blumberg had an affinity for all old things. His compulsion to save historical items and his interest in Victorian objects and memorabilia led him to nineteenth-century buildings to remove the hardware. Several times in his life he was caught for trespassing—entering empty homes to remove and steal cash, stained glass, or other antiques which he would then sell. Blumberg especially loved antique doorknobs, and he had accumulated 50,000 doorknobs by the time the FBI caught up with him (Weiss, 1994).