More spectacular yet, when it comes to historic documents, were a couple of items offered by Seth Kaller and his eponymous White Plains, N.

FORBES: Rare Books and Suicide Bombers

Case studies, historic maps, photographs, newspapers, government documents, and original objects are used to explore the evolution and development of the once rural island through the centuries, beginning with its early Dutch days.

FORBES: History Buff Alert! Staten Island And Dutch New York

While record-keeping had improved "significantly", it said 6% of payments analysed could not be corroborated by relevant documents and action was needed to "identify gaps in historic records".

BBC: Woman passes a street sign on Whitehall