The collection belonged to Rudolf Mosse (1843-1920), a successful businessman who founded the first major advertising agency in Germany and later became publisher of the influential Berliner Tageblatt and other daily newspapers. It contains 94 business histories and biographies from Mosse's era and earlier. The collection reflects economic development in many regions including Saxony, Silesia, the Rhineland, Bavaria, Hamburg, Brandenburg, Hannover, Baden, Würtemburg and Frankfurt am Main. While the majority of titles cover the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there is some coverage of the 18th century. Included are in-depth portraits of the Frankfurter Zeitung from 1856-1906, and seven other newspapers, some going back to the 18th century. Early histories of the Siemens, Krupp and Zeiss dynasties and the Fuggers of the Renaissance and two major German steamship lines are also represented. An illustrated review of the Meissen porcelain industry and a history of early pencil manufacturing by the Faber company, as well as representative banks, printers and publishers, chemical and electric power companies are included.