The records of the John Pritzlaff Hardware Company consist of twelve volumes (eleven financial record books and one inventory), one folder of miscellaneous material and one reel of microfilm. The inventory covers the years from 1861 through 1865 showing the stock that the company carried. The financial records consist of four volumes of accounts receivable of which three are indexed and cover the period 1850 to 1861; the fourth one covers the period from 1864 to 1867 and also contains suppliers' names and a list that seems to record deposits to the Second Ward Bank. Also present are three day books from 1859 through 1861 and one cash book for the period 1867 to 1868. There are two volumes of Annual Statement of Affairs which cover the years 1884 to 1943. There is also one Trial Balance volume for the period 1940 through 1949.
The reel of microfilm contains six typewritten copies of letters written by John Pritzlaff to his brother in Germany. The letters are written in German and date from 1839 to 1847. The folder of miscellaneous items contains a few notes written [by Pritzlaff?] about the first financial records of his hardware store, two bills of sale and a newspaper clipping on the Pritzlaff Hardware Company taken from the Milwaukee Journal, November 21, 1937.
