Biography of a Bank: the Story of Bank of America N. T. & S. A. by James, Marquis & Bessie R. James - 1954

New York: Harper and Row, 1954. Early Printing. Cloth. Fine/very good +. A fine early printing denoted by this being the last book listed by the publisher in "Other works by..." front matter. Blue cloth boards with map endpapers. In a very good dust jacket shelfwear at all corners and two tiny closed tears at crown of jacket. Back flap creased. vii, 566 p.. Octavo. From the private collection of noted attorney, sailor, and sometime cowboy, Joshua L. Soske Jr."After the devastating earthquake in April 1906, looters roamed the streets of San Francisco. Rescuing gold and silver from his small Bank of Italy, A.P. Giannini gained fame by setting up a makeshift bank on a North Beach wharf and making loans to local residents "on a handshake." (California History Room, California State Library, Sacramento, California)The innovative bank welcomed small borrowers who might otherwise have to use high-cost loan sharks. Most banks at the time regarded people with… Read More