Spoilers for one of the main plots of the episode.
I don't quite understand the book forgery story in this episode. You would think that someone would take 2nd or 3rd editions of valuable books, alter them to look like first editions, and switch them out for the valuable first editions. And in a way, that's what happens. But once the first editions were acquired, they too were altered and then resold. I don't understand why anyone would do that? Surely the market for the original first editions would be stronger than the market for an altered version. After all, if you're going to steal the Mona Lisa, you wouldn't paint a mustache on her before selling it, would you? I've never heard any explanation, plausible or otherwise, of why the supposed mastermind of this book-theft ring would mar (ruin) a valuable object. Or was there an explanation of this on the show that I missed??
I don't quite understand the book forgery story in this episode. You would think that someone would take 2nd or 3rd editions of valuable books, alter them to look like first editions, and switch them out for the valuable first editions. And in a way, that's what happens. But once the first editions were acquired, they too were altered and then resold. I don't understand why anyone would do that? Surely the market for the original first editions would be stronger than the market for an altered version. After all, if you're going to steal the Mona Lisa, you wouldn't paint a mustache on her before selling it, would you? I've never heard any explanation, plausible or otherwise, of why the supposed mastermind of this book-theft ring would mar (ruin) a valuable object. Or was there an explanation of this on the show that I missed??