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Large bills of exchange (19th century)

Started by Pellinore, March 23, 2024, 05:41:25 PM

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Pellinore

In a 19th century mixed archive, containing a.o. business letters, I found these two bills of exchange from the Dutch East Indies, both issued in 1879. It's quite a lot of money - 50 000 Dutch silver guilders ('Nederlandsch Courant') is comparable with 600 000 euros of 2021. The other is 45 000 guilders, and interestingly enough it also gives the value in  British Pounds, £ 3750. I believe this relation of 12 guilders:1 pound was kept for at least a century.

Both exchange bills are really interesting and attractive documents full of signatures, rubberstamps and curious typography, not to mention the 'foreign bills' stamps that probably were some sort of fees for Her Majesty's Revenue. Like the blindstamp for 50 guilders.

Some interesting signatures: Von Schmidt (= a Dutch banker's family), Determeyer Weslingh and V. or N. de Rothschild (on the 50 000 guilder bill). Some nice stamps: 'In need with Mr. A.S. Valentine' and the mysterious French rubberstamps.

Technical description:
First bill of exchange for ƒ 45 000.00 or 3750 GBP written out in Batavia on January 30, 1879 by the Director of Finance of the Dutch East Indies, Michiels, to the Minister of the Colonies in The Hague on behalf of Maclaine Watson Co., with Ned. East Indian blind stamp of 50 guilders and four British Foreign Bill stamps. With signatures from, among others, Von Schmidt, Maclaine Watson and Determeyer Weslingh. 25.5 x 15 cm. Thin laid paper without watermark.

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Wisl 1 bx.jpg



Figleaf

#1
Very interesting. I can add a colourful story (it ends badly) by directing you to Gillian MacLaine, who had met his end already when this bill was issued.

In one paper, we have a flow of money originating in Batavia, and ending in Brussels through London. It is not clear what the money was for, but the founders of Maclaine Watson traded in cotton goods, coffee and opium. See this paper.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Pellinore

Thank you very much. What a sad fate. Those were risky times.
By the way, here is the other bill, that of 50,000 guilders.

-- Paul

Wisl 2 aw.jpg

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