Pawnbroker ledger : manuscript.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pawnbroking.

Working class--England--London.

Working class.

Genre:

business records.

codices (bound manuscripts)

financial records.

ledgers (account books)

Manuscripts, English -- 19th century.

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Ephemera City (John Langton of Christchurch, UK) to Alastor Rare Books who purchased on behalf of the Penn Libraries, 2024

Physical Description:

1 volume (370 pages) ; 33 x 22 cm

Production:

London, 1876-1897.

Biography/History:

Between 1873 and 1896, there were more than 500 pawnshops operating in London at any given time. According to Michelle Higgs, “the pawnbroker offered a vital service for people living close to the bread-line who were in regular, yet poorly paid work [and] provided loans secured on domestic items as diverse as clothing, shoes and jewelry through to flat irons and occupational tools.” Items were frequently pawned simply to make ends meet until the next pay, resulting in a “cycle of pledging and redeeming, week in, week out, [that] might continue for years and [through which] pawnbrokers made their profits on the interest charged,” (Higgs). Not all items, however, were redeemed. The redemption period for items pawned was one year and seven days. The pawnshop could simply sell items pledged for less than ten shillings; however, items pledged for more than ten shillings had to be sold at public auction. According to Robert A.P. Creet, “articles put up for sale in auction rooms were generally purchased by dealers who disposed of them amongst shopkeepers, refiners, and re-pawners,” (page 187). Auctions houses mentioned in this volume include: Johnson and Dymonds, Hickinbotham’s & Sons, and H. & A. Laymans.

Summary:

This volume records the sale of unredeemed items from an unnamed pawnbroker to a number of auction houses in London, England, from 1876 to 1897. The pre-printed book records, in columns: number of pledge as in pledge book; lot number; date of pawning; name of pawner; articles pawned, amount of loan (in pounds, shillings, and pennies [£, s., and d.]); and amount for which pledge sold as stated by auctioneer (in pounds, shillings, and pennies [[£, s., and d.]). The volume was sold to the pawnshop by Jackson & Keeson, Stationers and Printers, Account Book Manufacturers, in Eagle Court, Dean Street, High Holborn. The information is recorded in several hands. The majority of items sold were clothing and jewelry; however, the variety of items was quite diverse and included bibles; bicycles, books; cigars and pipes; fishing rods; furniture; games (such as chess and cribbage boards and pieces); musical instruments; opera glasses; paintings; and sewing machines, to name only a few. Sales were held anywhere from a couple of months to an entire year apart; but generally, sales happened two days in a row or within a week. Frequently, the sales of one day were mostly jewelry and sales from the other day were mostly clothing. Earlier in the volume, the name of the pawner is listed by last name, followed by first name. Later in the volume, the name of the pawner is listed by first name followed by last name. No addresses or other identifying information is provided. Descriptions of the articles pawned are generally fairly brief and often with abbreviations, with listings such as 12 silk handkerchiefs, locket, 2 wed. rings, or locket. This volume is bound in half leather with marbled end papers. The leather on the fore-edge and spine are worn. Pages 47 to 62 and 335 to 366 are blank.

Cited as:

Pawnbroker Ledger (Oversize Ms. Codex 2249). Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.

OCLC:

1493158528