International Autograph Auctions Ltd.
Lot 34
ALBRECHT RICHARD FRIEDRICH WILHELM: (1878-1926) Prussian Major, Commander of the Free State Artillery during the Second Boer War. Albrecht was present at the Siege of Kimberley and also played an important part in the Boer victory at the Battle of Magersfontein on 11th December 1899. War date D.S., F Albrecht, being a signed cheque, Bloemfontein, 29th July 1899. The partially printed cheque is drawn on the The National Bank of the Orange Free State Limited and is completed entirely in Albrecht's hand, made payable to himself ('Major R Albrecht') for the sum of two pounds sterling. A standard ink line runs through Albrecht's signature by way of a bank cancellation and a further perforated cancellation only very slightly touches the first part of the signature. Also countersigned by Albrecht with his name alone to the verso. Together with a brief A.L.S., Maj. Weil, by Sam Weil, one page, oblong 8vo, Bloemfontein, 7th May 1900, to his brother Julius in Cape Town, on a partially printed piece of Memorandum stationery from the Imperial Transport Service. Weil writes, in full, 'The enclosed cheque will do to keep as a momento (sic). It is signed by Albrecht himself'. Two neat splits running horizontally across the memorandum have been strengthened with tape to the verso. Some very light, extremely minor creasing to the cheque, G to about VG, 2 Major Samuel Weil (1862-1944) English Businessman who, in 1882, went to South Africa to join his brother Julius in the new firm of Julius Weil & Co. and together they organised the transport for the first Matabele Campaign (1893). Julius Weil had been the first Jew to settle in Mafeking in 1878 and his family firm, which evolved into the Imperial Transport Service, was responsible for the provisioning of Mafeking during the siege of 1899-1900. Their contribution in supplying resources was officially acknowledged as having been an important factor in the defence of the besieged town. Aside from Mafeking, the Weil's company supplied virtually everything that was required during the Second Boer War, including food, clothing, medicine, rifles, ammunition, tools, and other luxuries, as well as organising transportation and storage, earning Julius Weil the accolade of being 'the man that moves the army'.
