Imports Collection

West India Docks 1810
The West India Docks in the great age of English trade - vessels lining the quays as far as the eye can see. Imports from the West Indies were especially important

Cartoon, Unfair Trade Winds (International Free Trade)
Cartoon, Unfair Trade Winds -- a satirical comment on competitive trade from overseas, adversely affecting the economy at home. Date: 1884

Alyse Berton Draped in Raw Silk
Alyse Berton, a Seattle resident, draped in raw silk. Seattle had become the most important silk port in the United States. Date: circa 1925

Advert for Arthur Sanderson and Sons, highlighting the international provenance of the fabrics and wallpapers available at their Berners Street showroom. Date: 1954

Extraordinary view of an entire floor of ivory in a huge warehouse, a portion of the ivory came from Asia, but the better bulk was imported from Africa

France - Trade - Dates from the desert oasis
Dates in wooden crates as they arrive direct from the desert oasis to the French warehouse of Champagne Freres Ld. Date: circa 1910s

Tariff Reform League Campaign Card
A campaign card by the Tariff Reform League shows a hop farmer complaining that cheap imports of hops will lead to his ending up in the workhouse. Date: 1908

Patriotic poster, Give and Take, Buy British
Patriotic poster, Buy British campaign -- Give and Take, Empire Products for Britain, British Manufactured Goods for the Empire, Buy British and help British labour at home and overseas

Robert Waithman (1764 - 1833), draper and British politician, employed for some time in a London linen draper s, he opened, about 1786, a drapers shop of his own in Ludgate Circus, London

BAD TASTE OF THE TOWN
The Bad Taste of the Town, also known as Masquerades and Operas: a satire on foreign imports such as pantomime, Italianate architecture and opera. Date: 1724

Bergen, Norway - Bryggen (Tyskebryggen - German Wharf). Date: circa 1905

Cartoon by Harold Auerbach, The Era of June? A comment on the controversial political issues of tariff reform, free trade, home rule and socialism. Date: 1910

Cartoon by Harold Auerbach, The Era of 1910? A comment on the controversial political issues of tariff reform, free trade, home rule and socialism. Date: 1910

Boston Harbour
Discovered in 1614 Boston harbour played an important role in American history. By 1660 almost all imports came through this greater boston area

Pro British Stamps
British first - we do not stock Russian goods. These stamps were issued free to British businessmen and traders for use in the crack down on cheap Russian goods. Date: 1930s

Germanys desperate oil situation by G. H. Davis
The merciless statistics of Germanys desperate oil situation during the Second World War. The relative value of Germanys normal sources of oil supply, cut in half by the Allied blockade

Advert for Goodyears Chemigum synthetic rubber 1942
Another Goodyear contribution to progress. Since the Japanese Invasion of the Dutch East Indies the loss of our crude rubber supply has been extremely serious to the Allied War Effort

Thessaloniki, Greece - Harbour Customs - checking recently-arrived large wooden packing cases on railway wagons. Date: circa 1910s

Advert for Imperial Chemical Industries; shortage of rubber
During World War Two, Britain got 90% of their suppies of natural rubber from Japan, due to this, rubber became scarce. Old rubber was collected from old tyres and worn hose-pipes

Venetian Glass Galleries - Knightsbridge, London
The Venetian Glass Galleries - 81, Knightsbridge, London SW1 Date: circa 1915

Unloading cargo
Unloading the ship Helle, Harbour of Trelleborg

18th century harbour scene
An unidentified harbour in the 18th century showing numerous boxes and barrels offloaded onto the quay side while wealthy looking merchants and traders wearing frock coats

Le Havre port poster
Nuit et Jour le port du Havre travaille - poster advertising that night and day the port of Le Havre in France is working

Modern Athenians plate 47 - Edinburgh
Walter Duthie (c. 1795-1868) Scottish lawyer, walking the same Edinburgh Street as Alexander Cleghorn (d. 1850) Inspector General of Exports and Imports for Scotland

Politics / John Bull / C1910
John Bull: " I say, this is getting serious." Cartoon on foreign imports to Britain

Ipswich Custom House
The old Custom House and Dock buildings at the Quayside, Ipswich, Suffolk, England

Pool of London 1930S
Cargo being loaded and unloaded on the River Thames at the Pool of London

The Great Wool-floor at the London Docks
The great wool-floor at the London Docks. The London Dock Company enlarged the warehouse for receiving wool imports from the colonies in the 1840 s

Unloading Sugar, Bristol
Sugar imported into Britain: barrels are unloaded at Bristol quay

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping