Cruising the Nile in the winter

At the age 17, mystery novel author Agatha Christie spent the winter of 1907–1908 with her mother in Egypt. They stayed for three months at the Gezirah Palace hotel in Cairo, participated in social events and visited some of Egypts ancient monuments. 

Christie would visit Egypt again later, and write several Egypt-set novels, including Death on the Nile featuring detective Hercule Poirot.

The Nile Express Steamers Co. 

5 founder shares, Cairo, 1906  

Printed in Cairo by Baader & Gross 

The Express Nile Steamers Company (ENSCo) was organized in April 1906 with a capital of 30000 Egyptian pounds. The company offered Nile cruises to rich Westerners, and Britons in particular. ENSCo's trip from Cairo to Luxor took 7 days, back in 4.5 days. And within a year the route was extended from Luxor to Aswan taking another two days.

ENSCo's first ship was launched at Giza on 14 Nov 1906. Miss Bassie Ems, the daughter of the company's director general, baptised the 'America' graciously. The triple decked vessel with cabins for 54 first-class passengers featured saloons for dining and smoking. Passengers enjoyed the Nile views behind glass windows that shielded them from wind and cold. 

In 1908 Baedeker publishes its Egypt and The Sudan, Handbook for Travellers. The book includes tips for traveling aboard a Nile steamer: 

"Passengers by steamer should beware of the risk of catching cold by leaving the windows of their cabin open ; and it is well to remember (e.g. when shaving) that the steamers sometimes run aground, especially above Luxor. Liability to delay through this last fact makes it impossible to be sure of reaching Cairo in time to make connection with the ocean-steamers."

Exciting times, if you ask me! I wonder whether Agatha Christie got bored on her three-month stay. I would have gone on a cruise. Did she? Well, that's a question that only Mr Hercule Poirot could solve. 

Merry Christmas!

F.L.

References

Launch of the America, Egyptian Gazette (1906-11-15) 

Egypt and the Sûdân; handbook for travellers, 1914, Karl Baedeker 

Previous posts

• Showcasing your services: The Hindusthan Safe Deposit Company 
• The Case of the Missing Farmers – Egyptologist traces back Crédit Agricole d’Égypte vignettes 

Showcasing your services: The Hindusthan Safe Deposit Company

Old stock certificates often illustrate the purpose or type of business a company was in. As such, they act as a window into the past, making them valuable as historical documents. 

Here's a nice example from The Hindusthan Safe Deposit Company. It features two vignettes each depicting a vault with a map of British India in the background.

The Hindusthan Safe Deposit Company Limited, Karachi 

stock certificate for 10 ordinary shares of 10 Rupees (5 Rupees paid) 

This Hindusthan Safe Deposit Company share was issued to Hormusjee Ardeshir Mistri on the 2nd of April 1937 in Karachi. Now the capital city of the Pakistani province of Sindh, Karachi was then part of British India. 

The company, incorporated in 1936, was managed by reputable businessmen like Homi Mehta, A. D. Shroff, and Messrs Doongursee & Sons. It provided safe deposit services and had its building on the McLeod Road in Karachi, today known as the I. I. Chundrigar Road.

The company's building and vault were designed by K. T. Divecha, an architect from Mumbai “on the most modern lines and provide up-to-date amenities. The vault is one of the strongest in India and was impregnable by the most skilled and persistent attacks of the scientific burglar. Particular care has been exercised to see that it does not become out-of-date when modern warfare breaks out. Local authorities have certified it as well designed to resist damages from bombs.”

The vault had a capacity of 5,000 lockers with a spacious and well-furnished waiting room provided for the clients. The basement was air-conditioned in order to give better protection to deposits against deterioration due to moisture. Apparently, the architect was forethoughtful about us scripophilists.

The certificate has a beautiful embossed seal showing a vault. 

(image taken from the reverse)  

The certificate has two vignettes, quite alike, depicting a robust vault door on a map of Hindhustan, commonly spelled as Hindustan or Hindostan. During the British Raj, which extended over almost all present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, the term Hindusthan referred to the whole of the Indian subcontinent. 

Note that the company was organized in 1936. Though partly shown on the map illustrated in the vignettes, Burma (now Myanmar) became a separated colony of Britain on 1 April 1937, just the day before this certificate was issued.

F.L.

This post is based on my article for Scripophily magazine No 127-April 2025, a publication by IBSS. 

References: “The Colourful Personalities of Sind,”, M. U. Abbassi, 1944

Mark your calendar for the National Stock Certificate & Bond Show on Jan 23-24, 2026 at Herndon, VA

The National Stock Certificate and Bond show is back on the scripophily calendar!  The event is  organized by autograph and scripophily specialist Scott Winslow, and showcases an extensive offering of historical documents, including vintage stock certificates, bonds, and other financial memorabilia.

The show takes place at the CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL-DULLES AIRPORT, 2200 Centreville Rd, HERNDON, VA 20170.  Several specialist dealers will present their scripophily treasures, as well as postcards, paper money, autographs and related Americana.

Depending on their historic relevance, thematic subject, aesthetical design, rarity and the presence of a famous signature, antique stocks and bonds can be acquired from a few dollars up to four figures amounts.

Antique securities charm collectors from all parts in the world. At the show, dealers offer US railroad bonds, mining stocks, certificates from automobile, brewery and film companies, and a lot more. Possibly you may find a historic stock from Oracle Corporation with printed signature of Larry Ellison, one of the wealthiest persons on the planet.

I had the opportunity to visit the show back in 2024 where I met several people whom I only knew through email conversations or by reading about them in Scripophily magazine.  Here is one of the stocks I snapped up there.

Program of the show:

• Friday Jan 23: 
• Dealer set up 8 am 
• Show hours from 9 AM to 6 PM
• Saturday Jan 24: 
• IBSS Member Breakfast 7:45 AM
• Show hours 9 AM to 3 PM 

On the second day, a IBSS Member Breakfast is planned. If you want to know more about the International Bond and Share Society, there is plenty of occasion to meet several of its members as well as IBSS committee members at the event.

Dealers should contact organizer Scott Winslow for practical information on the venue and tables: 

• Scott Winslow, PO Box 10240, Bedford, NH 03110
• scott@scottwinslow.com
• cell: 603-235-4943 

The organizer obtained a special show room rate for participants and visitors at the Crown Plaza Hotel-Dulles Airport, 2200 Centreville Road, Herndon, VA 20170. Check with the organizer or check the event's website online: https://stockandbondshow.org/ 

Located near Washington Dulles Airport, the venue is an excellent starting point for visiting top touristic locations in and around Washington DC.

F.L.