Three albums filled with English and German manuscript memoranda, newspaper cuttings and mimeographed reports, relating to the Great War and 1898-1909 periods, assembled by an Anglo-German stockbroker in the City of London.

The three items come from the papers of an Anglo-German City of London stockbroker, with Item One, below, indicating that he was based in Germany between 1898 and 1909, and that he had moved to England by 1917. A major point of interest is the fact that the material has been assembled by an educated, intelligent and well-informed individual with good knowledge of both German and English economic realities, at a time of high conflict between the two nations. ONE: 94pp., folio. In black cloth quarter-binding with brown marbled boards, and label of W. Harneit, Hamburg. Consisting of 88pp. of manuscript in German, dated from 1898 to 1909, and apparently relating to financial affairs, with 6pp. of figures in columns, apparently relating to the performance of a share portfolio between 1902 and 1904. TWO: 112pp., 4to., with thumb-index (11pp.) preceding text (101pp.). In black cloth binding with 'Newspaper Cuttings' stamped in gilt on front board, and label of London stationers Couldrey, Worwood & Co Ltd. In good condition, on aged paper. Label with number '4' on spine. Dating from 1917, and mainly relating to the impact of the First World War on the economic situation. A mixture of manuscript (in English, but apparently in the same hand as Item One); newspaper cuttings in English, German and (one) French, and a few mimeographed typed reports (one, by Paul Mamroth, headed 'Deutschland im Kampfe gegen die ganze Welt', and two tables from the Chronicle, 1 and 12 May, regarding bullion and railroad mileage). Laid down in the album is a proclamation (1p., folio) by King George V, printed in black and red, dated 2 May 1917, and relating to the reduction of 'the consumption of bread' and abstention from 'the use of flour in pastry', and a handbill advertisement (1p., 12mo) on the same subject, headed 'Mr. Slice o'Bread'; also an advertisement (2pp., 4to) for 5% Exchequer Bonds, with headline: 'This Scrap of Paper was the British Government's Bond of good faith to Belgium. Germany tore it up, but Britain never breaks her bond. She went to War for it.' The headings of the manuscript entries include: After war chances! (National Wealth of Amerika [sic]; The Cotton Trade and German Eyes; The Great Leeds Conference; Controlled Establishments; Price of Bread; English Government and American Bonds and Stocks; Brasil Trade; Canada; England's National Debt; American Stock Market; Strikes in England; America's relations with Russia, China & South Amerika [sic]; Russia's Economic Position; King's Birthday Honours; Industrial Activity; England's war debt; Taxation; China; Freedom of opinion during war. THREE: 177pp., 4to., with thumb-index (24pp.) preceding text (153pp.) In green leather half-bound album with 'Newspaper Cuttings' in gilt on spine, and label of London stationers W. Straker Ltd. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn binding. Label with number '6' on spine. Dating from late 1917. Mainly consisting of text (in same hand as Item Two, and probably Item One) in German and English, with some newspaper cuttings (including articles on 'Banrupt Austria', 'Lord Grey's Last Words' and 'War Aims of U.S.'), and a few mimeographed typed items. English headings include: The rise in prices; steel production; the Paris Economic Conference and the attitude (anticipated by the "Nation") of Germans; Money prices by newspapers; Peace; World Famine and War; Air Raids; Germany's need of imports after war. See related item #12416.