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For sale is an authentic, mid-to-late 19th-century German-American leather accordion document wallet and pocketbook memorandum. This unique historical artifact features a functional expanding pocket design with integrated handwritten paper leaves.Historical Details & Contents:
Dates Present: Features clear handwritten entries dating to "den 20. Sept. 1860" (Civil War era) as well as later entries from "1875" on the inner pages.Names/Genealogy: Inscribed multiple times with the prominent family name Jacob Ulrich Reiner (or Reinert).Language/Script: Written in a mix of old German cursive script (Kurrentschrift) and standard 19th-century scripts. Contains miscellaneous domestic calculations, personal notes, and religious/household text blocks.Special Feature: Retains its original yellowish, varnished "erasable" memo pages—thick, treated cardstock leaves designed for reusable pencil notes on the go.Condition Report:
This item is in heavily worn, primitive antique condition and is sold as-is. The leather casing shows structural aging, scuffing, and minor cracking consistent with age, though the accordion structure remains intact. Internally, the original cotton/linen binding threads have rotted away over the last 150 years, causing several of the rag-paper signatures to become completely detached from the spine. The paper displays heavy fraying, edge chipping, and historical water staining throughout. Please review the photos carefully to evaluate the condition.
All journal contents reflects how it was aquired from the estate.A wonderful, unique piece of social history for collectors of early American ephemera, Germanic genealogy, or Civil War-era personal items.
