1923 INTERESTING, ORIGINAL GROUP OF FOUR [4] DIAIRES HANDWRITTEN BY AN ALBANY NEW YORK CAR SALESMAN FOR WHO THE SUN RISES AND SETS ON BUICK MOTOR CARS

On offer is an interesting group of four [4] diaries of a car salesman in his senior years and very soon before his demise in the years immediately prior to the Great Depression being 1923 through 1926. The author is Vedder A. Peters who lives in Albany New York. He is married to Kit and in 1926 he mentions a son. There is a burial record of Vedder A Peters in Albany NY showing date of death as 1927 at 64 years of age. This being so, the diaries written when he is in his 60s make for interesting reading given the reader's knowledge that Vedder has only a few years to live. The diaries' entries revolve around either his car - a 1923 Buick Touring Sedan of which he appears very proud or his activities as a salesman and investor. '... Ran Buick to service station 11:30 AM for quick inspection [Jan 2nd, 1923] ... This was first time out with Buick. She ran true [Apr 1st, 1923] He notes planning an advertising campaign [Jan 14th, 1923] and begins to put in place the following day: Ran double col 3 inch deep Ad today in Journal Union on Advertising, Lectures and Speeches [Jan 15th, 1923] Another entry notes his running an ad to try and get work writing: First answer to ad came from LaBadie to write his biography. He is a splendid type French Canadian - 60 years old and educated. My price $20.00 [Jan 29th, 1923] April 13th he notes that he is still trying to sell ads and: Commenced buttonholing various people and firms for their advertising. Dorwaldt, Wallenstein, Badgeley, Schutter, Raven and a host of others. Schutter & Badgeley look good. Oct 1st, 1923] The diaries for the next three years continue in the same vein. Many are entries about his car such as a detailed description of a car accident [Mar 29th] and the associated repair costs ($1.50 for fender repair) and another accident where: ... a girl ran from the curb and into the right front fender ... [Apr 10th, 1924] On May 29th, he quit his job at a newspaper noting: ... job no good not one sale [May 29th, 1924] Among the very few personal comments is a reference to the death of an acquaintance [Nov 19th, 1924] In 1925, he notes that he plays in a stock market pool. This is an example of the type of stock market speculation that was one of the leading causes of the Great Depression. In Peters case: Played in stock market pool. Never heard a word. [Mar8th, 1925] The entry list 3 groups of numbers, possibly betting combinations. This was followed by: Won stock market pool 3d money with 412 splits on Nos 5-11-7-10-9 having 20 each day for 4 days and 18 one day. Wow - $12.90 [Mar 29th, 1925] Later he notes another investment, this time also mentioning another person VB - possibly his son as there is a Vedder B. Peters noted in the records of Albany and as he frequently refers to himself as VAP: Subscribed 105 to Masonic Temple Fund - payable 35 annually each year for three years. VB subscribed $72 - $24 a year for 3 years [May 25th, 1925] Other entries focused on his Buick. In 1926, he contracts to build a house [Feb 18th], rents an upstairs floor in his home to a couple [Mar 27th], sold a couple of building lots [Apr 14th, Apr 21st] and moved into a new shop to run a mail order business [Apr 29th]. All-in-all, Peters comes across as a busy man who looks for and takes advantages of opportunities as they come his way. This is an excellent concise chronicle of a small entrepreneur in small-town America in the years during the Roaring Twenties. A researcher would appreciate his careful expense record over this time as they present a good idea of prices, especially those that are automotive-related. Each leather-covered volume measures about 4 3/4 inches by 3 inches and contains 120 diary pages plus memoranda and information pages. Each diary is about 20% complete. The diaries are in good condition with the leather covers of the 1923 and 1924 volumes showing obvious signs of wear. All pages are intact. The handwriting is legible.; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, VEDDER A PETERS; ALBANY NEW YORK; ROARING TWENTIES; GREAT DEPRESSION, STOCK MARKET, SPECULATION, PRE DEPRESSION ERA, ROARING TWENTIES, AUTOMOBILE SALES, BUICK, EARLY CAR DEALERSHIPS, UPSTATE NEW YORK, EMPIRE STATE, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNALS, PERSONAL HISTORY, SOCIAL HISTORY, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANOSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL