Commerce Collection (page 4)

Dutch ships in the Arctic, 1600s
Dutch ships of Henry Hudsons time near Novaya Zemlya, early 1600s. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of an earlier illustration

Lake Erie grain boat in a snowstorm
Steamship carrying grain on Lake Erie in a snowstorm, headed for Buffalo, New York, 1880s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

BUSN2A-00109
Longboat crew attacking a whale with hand harpoons in the Arctic, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Royal Society endorsement of a lens-grinder, 1600s
Opticians advertisement illustrated with Archimedes at a telescope, London, 1694. Hand-colored woodcut of a 17th-century illustration

Wall Streets Tontine Coffee House in the late 1700s
Tontine Coffee House, corner of Water and Wall Street, meeting-place of New York brokers who formed the NY Stock Exchange. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Wichita, Kansas, 1870s
Main street in Wichita, Kansas, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Rio de Janeiro about 1700
Rio de Janeiro from the harbor while a Portuguese colony, circa 1700. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of an 18th-century illustration

Merchant ship attacked by Chinese pirates
Chinese pirates attacking a European merchant ship, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Drying and salting fish in colonial Maine
First settlers of Maine drying and salting fish on the Atlantic shore. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

BUSN2A-00135
Dutch East India House in Amsterdam, showing warehouses and shipyard. Hand-colored woodcut

Crystal Palace, London, 1851
Visitors to the Crystal Palace industrial exposition, London, 1851. Hand-colored engraving of a 19th-century illustration

White men bringing cleanliness to native cultures, 1890s
" White mans burden" is to teach cleanliness, described in a Pears Soap ad, 1890s. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

Medieval guild seal
Guild merchants seal, Gloucester, England, circa 1200. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction

Banana seller, Village of Masango, Cibitoke Province, Burundi, Africa

Fresh Uzbek bread, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Central Asia

Kumquats for sale on the market in Cours Saleya, Nice, Alpes Maritimes, Provence, French Riviera, France, Europe

Typing Pool / 1970S
A typing pool full of women typists

HMS Leviathan, Drake-class armoured cruiser
Royal Navy - HMS Leviathan, a Drake-class armoured cruiser. HMS Leviathan was one of four Drake-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy around 1900

St. James Street Montreal, Canada
19th century vintage photograph: St. James Street Montreal, Canada, pedestrian and horse drawn traffic

Port of Antwerp in 1520. At this time, Antwerp was one of the main financial and trading centres of Western Europe. After a drawing by Albrecht Durer

Cover design, Dombey and Son
Cover design, Part XI of Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens, August 1847, with illustrations by Hablot K Browne. 1847

WW2 Christmas card, Lloyds Bank, showing the white cliffs of Dover. Date: 1944

STOCK EXCHANGE, 1963. Stock brokers trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Photographed by Thomas J. O Halloran, 26 September 1963

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, 1730. Newport, Rhode Island, in 1730. Lithograph, American, 1864

SHANGHAI: BUND, 1883. A view of the English settlement along the Bund in Shanghai, China, looking toward the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and showing the English Club (extreme left)

CANADIAN CURRENCY, 1837. Rebellion scrip issued under the name Distillery of St. Denis, displaying various combinations of the monetary values of France, England, the U.S. and Spain, 1837

Central Stores & Post Office, High Street, Chalford, Glos
Central Stores and Post Office, High Street, Chalford, Gloucestershire. Date: circa 1909

New York Stock Exchange trading, 1980s C016 / 2381
New York Stock Exchange trading. Banners and computer workstations on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

GMDE2A-00032
Baghdad straddling the Tigris River. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EXPL2A-00146
Marco Polo welcomed at the court of Kublai Khan in China, 1200s. Hand-colored halftone of a 19th-century illustration

Traditional Turkish decorative pottery for sale, Grand Bazaar (Great Bazaar), Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Champagne Michel Gonet, Epernay, Champagne, France
Villa Signolle, Champagne Michel Gonet, on the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, Champagne, Marne, Grand Est, France. The Avenue de Champagne is a 1km long street lined with mansions owned by champagne

A Flower Market Along the Seine, (oil on canvas)
827308 A Flower Market Along the Seine, (oil on canvas) by Stein, Georges (1818-90); 45.7x55.3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: A Flower Market Along the Seine. Georges Stein (1818-1890)

Large ships on the Hooghly River, Calcutta, India
19th century vintage photograph: Large ships on the Hooghly River, Calcutta, India

Map showing the principal world trade shipping routes, 1912 (colour litho)
CHT277054 Map showing the principal world trade shipping routes, 1912 (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Flower Power; Marchande de Fleurs, (oil on canvas)
651397 Flower Power; Marchande de Fleurs, (oil on canvas) by Gilbert, Victor Gabriel (1847-1933); 47x38 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Flower Power; Marchande de Fleurs)

A Parisian Flower Market, (oil on canvas)
989521 A Parisian Flower Market, (oil on canvas) by Gilbert, Victor Gabriel (1847-1933); 137.5x46.3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: A Parisian Flower Market. Victor Gabriel Gilbert (1847-1933)

Spice Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey

cargo ship, cloud, color image, commerce, concept, container ship, copy space, day
Glass cargo ship on ocean waves

NY STOCK EXCHANGE, c1907. The floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. Photographed with a camera hidden in the photographers sleeve, c1907

AUSTRALIA: GOLD RUSH, 1895. A general store in the town of Coolgardie, Western Australia, 1895-1897, during the gold rush of the 1890s

BANK PANIC OF 1857. Wall Street, half past 2 O Clock, 13 October 1857. Oil on canvas by James H. Cafferty and Charles J. Rosenberg

Japan, Imperial Mint, Osaka - Rolling Mills, Cutting Presses
Japan - The Imperial Mint at Osaka - Rolling Mills, and the Cutting-out Presses. Date: circa 1910s

BAHAMAS-Grand Bahama Island-Freeport: Port of Freeport: Container Cargo Ship
BAHAMAS, Grand Bahama Island, Freeport: Port of Freeport: Container Cargo Ship

Christmas Market along Lindaus Historic Port, Lindau im Bodensee, Germany, Europe

The Bund Bull in front of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Customs House, The Bund, Shanghai, China, Asia

A street in Steyning, 27 July 1889
This photograph shows a clock tower and several shop fronts, including a cobblers General Photographic Collection West Sussex Record Office, Ref No PH 26113/115

USA, Maine, Harpswell. Lobster buoys hang on fish shack on Bailey Island

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Commerce, the lifeblood of economies and the driving force behind global trade. From its humble beginnings to its towering heights, it has shaped societies and transformed nations. In 1450s Europe, Johannes Gutenberg's revolutionary printing press sparked a new era by making books more accessible to the masses. Ideas spread like wildfire, fueling intellectual growth and challenging established norms. Fast forward to 1850s England, where coal mines dotted the landscape. The mining industry boomed as demand for this vital resource skyrocketed during the Industrial Revolution. Commerce thrived on the back of hardworking miners who risked their lives in pursuit of progress. The capitalist pyramid loomed large in American society in 1911. An iconic socialist poster depicted this structure, highlighting how wealth concentrated at the top while workers struggled below. It served as a stark reminder that commerce could be both empowering and exploitative. The Great Depression struck Wall Street with devastating force in 1929. The crash shattered dreams and wiped out fortunes overnight, leaving an indelible mark on history. Yet from these ashes rose resilience and innovation as governments sought ways to rebuild shattered economies. Across continents and cultures, street scenes tell tales of vibrant marketplaces brimming with activity. Hoi An's bustling streets in Vietnam showcase Southeast Asia's rich trading heritage while Vucciria Market in Palermo captures Sicily's vibrant spirit through colorful stalls selling local delicacies. Advertisements have long been integral to commerce's narrative - enticing consumers with promises of quality products or services since time immemorial. A vintage linoleum ad showcases manufacturers' creativity while a Singer sewing machine ad from the 1890s speaks volumes about technological advancements shaping industries. Christmas markets evoke a sense of joyous celebration intertwined with commercialism - none more so than Frankfurt's Romerberg market in Germany. Here, centuries-old traditions blend seamlessly with modern consumerism as locals and tourists alike revel amidst twinkling lights and festive cheer.