...a German banknote

This is a banknote from the hyperinflationary period of the German Weimar Republic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation_in_the_Weimar_Republic

It has been used ignominiously by a carpenter as a scribbling pad.

Other countries have suffered periods of severe inflation, often when their Governments resorted to creating, and often literally printing, currency to pay their debts. Done in a measured way, such as through Quantitative Easing, it can successfully revive an economy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_easing

Done irresponsibly, as in Zimbabwe or Venezuela, it can result in a complete undermining of the currency. Zimbabwe essentially abandoned the Zimbabwe Dollar in 2009, and now uses the currencies of other countries, notably the South African Rand.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwean_dollar

...a 1912 Rover Motorcycle

A crowd gathers in 1912 at an unknown location to admire a Rover Motorcycle, possibly one of the new 3 speed models with spring-loaded tappets (whatever that means).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_(motorcycles)

...a Status Quo concert ticket

A Status Quo concert ticket from 23rd December 1972. This was the year of their first truly successful album Piledriver, released just a week before this concert, with the classic lineup up of Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster and Coughlan.

It included the track Paper Plane, which became a hit single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhwCqAmggnM

...a ninety-nine year old Christmas gift

"To my dear sweetheart. Wishing you a happy Christmas. Your loving husband Fred. 24th Dec. 1917."

We shall never know the identity of this affectionate couple, who have doubtless long-since departed this world. But this touching expression of sentiment remains.

Among this anthology of Longfellow's poems is his marvellous Psalm of Life.

 

Lives of great men all remind us

   We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

   Footprints on the sands of time

...the continuing conflict

Christmas 1916 was a miserable one for the progress of the War, with the bloody Battles of the Somme and Verdun barely over, and the 1915 Battle of Champagne - to which this postcard refers, and during which some fifty thousand died - by then just a distant memory.

There was no Christmas truce in the trenches this year, as there had been in 1914, and even in a few places in 1915.

"The War to end all wars" ground on.

...Edwardian Christmas Postcard

It is generally accepted that the modern Christmas celebration, of cards, decorated fir trees, carols and exchanges of presents, was a Victorian invention. Indeed, it is sometimes said that Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, was largely responsible for popularising the traditions. Others credit the influence of Charles Dickens' immensely successful 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. What do I think of Christmas?  Do I say "Bah Humbug"? No, I say "God bless us everyone".

...a concert ticket

This concert at the Crystal Palace Bowl in June 1972 was not exactly a washout, but those of us who came unprepared for a not untypical British summer's day suffered a real soaking from a thunderstorm.

The line-up of groups was great: Joe Cocker, Richie Havens, The Beach Boys. But the day was cold and miserable and, as one young attendee reflected, there was a lack of any atmosphere.

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/Garden-party-72.html

The whole concert was apparently filmed, but only extracts of it now seem to be available.

Here is taste of that day: https://youtu.be/uS6m0fN-Ow0