HIWEPA on tour in August

HIWEPA will be on the road later this month. Based in Ittigen, Switzerland, this auctioneer and dealer in antique stocks and bonds regulary participates at events.

This month you'll see them at

• Börsentag Zürich (Stock Exchange Day), Zurich, Saturday 24 August 2024
• 10th Ansichtkarten-, Foto- und Papierbörse (bourse of vintage postcards, pictures and ephemera), Olten, Sunday 25 August 2024
• Bourse Aux Monnaies (coin and banknote exchange), Neuchâtel, Sunday 25 August 2024

Further info: https://www.hiwepa.ch/en/blog/events-2024.html

Löwenbräu Burgdorf A-G, Burgdorf 

500 Francs share from 1903

lion logo in underprint 

image www.hiwepa.ch 

F.L.

HWPH's 66th auction

Happy New Year! 2024 kicks off with Matthias Schmitt's 66th auction. It takes place as an online-only auction and includes almost 600 lots of antique shares and bond certificates.

For the time being this will be the auctioneer's last auction. The prime part of HWPH's business, Russian scripophily, is badly affected by the war of Russia against Ukraine. The auction offers mainly unsold items from previous auctions. With all lots starting at €5, you may strike a bargain!

Part of the sale is a section of roughly 100 lots of American railroad stocks and bonds. Illustrated here is L(ot) 171, a bond from the Savannah and Charleston Rail Road Company, South Carolina, issued in 1869. 

The sale features several shares designed by artists of the time. L224, a share in the Goedkoope Antwerpsche Beenhouwerij, literally translated: 'cheap Antwerp butchery', was designed by one of Belgium's most talented sculptors: Jef Lambeaux. Among the other artists to be hammered are Hermann Gradl, L452, and Demetrios Galanis, L239. 

About 100 lots span three centuries of German insurance activities. Shown here is, L476 a 1961 specimen share certificate from the Allianz Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft. Allianz, one of the largest insurers in the world, is part of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index. 

All major themes are represented such as railways, mining and government bonds. By means of the online search features you can find the lesser obvious themes as well. A few examples: 

• Bridges, L121 The Main Street Bridge Co, Indiana 
• Music, L242 EMI Ltd 
• Ceramics, L79 Ceramica Industrial de Osasco (Brazil)
• Casino, L461 Casino im Frankfurter Hof 

Another example is a share from the Tsingtao Brewery Company Ltd, China. The company originates from the Germania-Brauerei Tsingtao brewery founded in 1903 by English and German entrepreneurs. In 1993 it became the first Chinese firm listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. L23 was issued in 1996 to scripophily pioneer Wilhelm Kuhlmann. 

There is lots more to discover in the auction. Here are the auction details :

• Location: this is an Internet only auction
• Date: 18 January 2024 
• Further info : online catalog see here on the auctioneer's website, or via the Invaluable platform, see there  

F.L.

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Exhibition: Gedruckte Werte

Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig illustrates the making of securities
The German city of Leipzig has a rich tradition of bookmaking and publishing. Its Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig (Museum of the Printing Arts Leipzig) is home to functioning machines, tools and presses demonstrating the techniques of copperplate printing, lithography and letterpress. Recently the museum has set up an extraordinary exhibition titled Gedruckte Werte (Printed Values).

Grosse Leipziger Strassenbahn
1000 Mark share, Leipzig, 1895
printed by Giesecke & Devrient
image courtesy : Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig
double-click image to enlarge

From design to production
The exhibition illustrates the history, design and production of commercial securities. On display are approximately 50 bond and share certificates mainly from Leipzig and Saxony of the last 200 years, together with printing proofs, cheques, stamps, wood engravings, printing plates, guilloche and frame dies, sample and order books, and other historical printing forms. The show also explains how Giesecke & Devrient, Germany's most important printer of banknotes and securities, developed a standardized process for the production of artistic and counterfeit-proof securities. 

Guilloching tool, dated around 1900
source: Giesecke & Devrient, Leipzig
image courtesy : Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig

One of the exhibits is a manually operated guilloching tool, see image above, from the Giesecke & Devrient security printing house in Leipzig. A tool like this was used to engrave a guilloché, an ornamental pattern formed of repeating, interlacing lines in a circular design. When printed on securities and banknotes, designs like these were almost impossible to counterfeit. The guilloché pattern shown just below at the left, is a detail from the image beside it, another object in the exhibition : an advertising, ca. 1910, for Giesecke & Devrient, designed and printed as a share certificate.

source: Sächsisches Staatsarchiv Leipzig 

image courtesy : Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig

The exhibition is a cooperation between the Museum and the “Firmenhistorisches Archiv” of the Giesecke & Devrient GmbH (Munich). Some loans are also from the State Archives of Saxony in Leipzig.

Giesecke & Devrient printing plate for a share
of the Actien-Brauvereins zu Plauen (see also image below)
image courtesy : Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig

Practical info

• Duration : 16 March to 14 August 2016
• Location : Nonnenstrasse 38, Leipzig, GERMANY
• Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ; Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Entrance: 6€ for adults, 3€ for students and 1,50€ children, 4€ for owners of a Leipziger-Card
• Guided tours on the following Sundays at 12:00 a.m. : 8 May, 22 May, 12 June, 26 June, 24 July and 14 August
• Special 60+ tours on the following Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. : 19 April and 21 June.
• Hans-Volkmar Gaitzsch holds an evening talk Leipziger Wertpapiere on Thursdag 19 May at 7:00 p.m. , free entrance
• The Museum also organizes a one-day conference Gedrucktes Vertrauen on Friday 24 June, more info in German, see here.
• Further, there is an accompanying 60-pages book, in German, availble at the price of 8,80€ excluding shipping cost (but more on that in my next article).

Actien-Brauverein zu Plauen
in English : Plauen Brewery Association
1000 Reichsmark share, specimen from Giesecke & Devrient, 1943
One of the original printing plates for this certificate is shown above.
image courtesy : Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig

Related links

• Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig, in German, in English 
• Exhibition Gedruckte Werte, in German, in English 

F.L.

PS: Here are some images, from the museum's Facebook page, from the opening of the exhibition.

Vielen Dank an alle Gäste für eine tolle Ausstellungseröffnung zu GEDRUCKTE WERTE gestern Abend!
Posted by Museum für Druckkunst on Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Exhibition & book : Patrimonium et oeconomia

Patrimonium et oeconomia is the name of the current exhibition at the City Museum "Sztygarka" of Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland. The exhibition features securities from the collection of Christopher Stachowicz.

Société Française et Italienne des Houillères de Dombrowa (Pologne Russe)
Founder's share, Paris 1909
Source: City Museum "Sztygarka"
double-click image to enlarge

On display are shares and bonds in companies and organizations active in the Polish Basin and Silesia area and beyond. Among the exhibits are, securities and documents, from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, related to the steel industry, railways, coal mining, banking, utilities, textile, breweries and distilleries, chocolate and sugar, and more. Less known to scripophily collectors in general, some of the displayed certificates are designed by important artists like Zofia Stryjenska and Felix Wygrzywalski. 

Source: City Museum "Sztygarka"

Practical info :

• Location : City Museum "Sztygarka", Muzeum ul. Legionów Polskich 69 41-300 Dąbrowa Górnicza, POLAND
• Duration : 11 September 2014 – 12 October 2014
• Opening hours : Mon closed, Tues & Wed 9:00-15:00, Thu 10:00-19:00, Fri 9:00-15:00, Sat 8:45-15:00, Sun 12:00-16:00
• Entrance fee : 5.00 PLN ( about 1.2 EUR ) 
• Tip : You can also combine the exhibit with a mine visit at the museum

There is also the book Patrimonium et oeconomia. Papiery wartościowe ze zbiorów Krzysztofa Stachowicza, written by Krzysztof Stachowicz and Kamil Świderski. See here (in Polish) but the Google Translate service renders a good enough version, see there . 

Related links

• Exhibition Patrimonium et oeconomia, in Polish, including an interview with Krzysztof Stachowicz (here is the English translation by Google)
• City Museum "Sztygarka" of Dąbrowa Górnicza

F.L.

P.S. Thanks to the members of EDHAC for reporting this special event.

Reference book : Dictionnaire des Patrons en Belgique

• Title : Dictionnaire des Patrons en Belgique, in English: Dictionary of Belgian Business Leaders
• Author : Kurgan-van Hentenryk Ginette, Jaumain Serge, Montens Valérie
• ID : ISBN 2-8041-1581-X; published 1996 by De Boeck Université
• Languages : French
• Number of pages : 729
• Images : about 150 black and white images and 15 color images
• Index : 1. alphabetical index on companies and persons

This comprehensive reference book describes more than 500 Belgian entrepreneurs and financers active between 1830 and 1980 regarding their family background, social status, education, business career, political functions, cultural activities, business networks and interests. Included are descriptions of notable business families. An example is the Solvay family, described in 6 pages including biographical entries of Ernest, Alfred and Armand Solvay.

In many cases these Belgian captains of industry founded companies all over the world. That makes this work a "not only for Belgians" book. The book concludes with a +40 page long mixed index on company and person name. The reverse lookup of a company name can be interesting as it yields one or more entries in the dictionary. Also here an example : the Tramways de Szegedin, which operated in Hungary, is mentioned with the entries of two bankers, namely Léon Cassel and David Van Buuren. 

The book contains many images, mostly portraits, but also ads, photographs and a handful of letterheads and share certifates as well.

A great book for the advanced researcher. 

F.L.

HWPH - Auction 31 and 32

HWPH Auction 31 - Part 1

image: Brau-Gesellschaft des Marktfleckens Stankau

Share of 200 Gulden Ö.W.

1874, Markt Stankau, now part of Czech Republic

double-click image to enlarge

HWPH Auction 31 - Part 2 - 50 Highlights

image: Vereinigte Dampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft

 für den Thuner- und Brienzersee

nominative share for 500 Swiss Francs

1843, Thun, Switzerland

HWPH Online Auction 32

image: Holsten Brauerei

Share of 1000 Mark - later overstamped into 400 Reichsmark

1909, Hamburg Altona, Germany

• Date: 26 October 2013  - Auction 31 ;  28 October 2013 - Auction 32
• Place: Auction 31, Wiesbaden, GERMANY 
• Further info, see here

F.L.

Book : The Egyptian Bourse

                                  

double-click image to enlarge 
image source by Boone Shares

• Title : The Egyptian Bourse
• Authors : Samir Raafat
• ID : ISBN 977-5864-16-X, published by Zeitouna, 2010
• Languages : English
• Number of pages : 112
• Images : page wide color images 
• Indexes : no index

This large format luxury publication introduces us into Egyptian scripophily. About 50 shares or bonds from companies are discussed with the necessary background information. Large color images. The companies included were active in the field of : public construction & real estate, banking and insurances, agriculture and food, canals, railways, transport, navigation, public utilities, trading and shops, textiles, breweries, mining, hotels and clubs.

A nice introduction into antique stocks and bonds from Egypt.


F.L.

Reference catalogue : American Brewers, Distillers and Vintners

                                                                         

Image by Boone Shares

• Title : American Brewers - Stock and Bond Certificates
• Authors : Lawrence Falater, Don Mesler
• ID : no ISBN , published by the authors, 2011
• Languages : English
• Number of pages : 104
• Images : about 130 color images 
• Indexes : no index

This is a small but detailed catalogue on scripophily from American brewers, distillers and vintners ! Along with the description of each certificate, an image and a value indication is included. From the introduction I read that no scanning device was used for the images, but a good old camera with excellent results. 

The certificates are grouped alphabetically by company in three sections :

1. breweries (about 100 images)
2. distilleries (about 20 images)
3. vintners (about 10 images)

Definitely an asset for the specialised collector !

F.L.

Signed Guest book yet ?

Reference catalogue : Securities of Czech Breweries and Malt Houses

double-click to enlarge image

• Title : Pivovary  Sladovny - Katalog Cenných Papírů (English: Catalogue of Securities of Breweries and Malt Houses)
• Authors : Rudolf Píša
• ID : ISBN 978-80-904178-0-9, published by DAS Media, 2008
• Languages : Czech
• Number of pages : 265
• Images : color images for the securities, often multiple per page
• Indexes : extensive index on company names

This is a great catalogue on shares and bonds from the Czech and former Czechoslovak breweries and malt houses.  The book starts with a historical overview of the brewing history (Historie pivovarnictvi) and includes about 50 biographies of entrepreneurs and business men. More than 500 certificates are grouped per company. Companies, more than 200 of them, are grouped by place in an alphabetical order.

A book for the advanced collector !

F.L.

Book : Terra Australis

• Title : Terra Australis - An Adventurous Financial History of Australian Shares and Loans / Abenteuer australischer Finanzgeschichte in Aktien und Anleihen
• Authors : Michael P.A. Liebig
• ID: ISBN 3-89090-706-7, published by Markt & Technik Verlag AG, 1988
• Languages : English, German
• Number of pages : 175
• Images : black & white, multiple images on almost every page
• Indexes : no indexes

In this book the author takes the reader on a journey through the historical development of Australia. Many images from share certificates, maps, engravings and other ephemera are included. Certificates seen from the following themes : banking, agriculture, schools, state bonds, textile, tobacco, mining (coal, copper, tin, etc.) , gold, food, oil, railways, transport, forestry, shipping, automobiles, aviation, metal works, film, breweries, sports.

Chapters :

• A Passage through History
• The Share conquers Australia
• 50 Years after James Cook
• Pressing for Gold
• Australia under Steam
• From Hell to Hope
• Australia becomes mobile
• Flying Doctors, Cackling of Hens and a School in the Air
• And to conclude

A must have for the serious collector of Australian scripophily !

F.L.

  

NB:

Did anyone compile an index of the shares illustrated in this book ?

I would be happy to add the index to this post.