New Internet Search Facilities are making available more detailed records everyday. In this article the Newman Numismatic Portal has allowed the investigation of Virgil Brand records appertaining to a Catrine Cotton Works countermarked 8 reales.
Tracking a Catrine Cotton Works countermarked 8 Reales – Eric C. Hodge
BNS Research Blog 
With the kind assistance of Mr. Peter Preston-Morley of DNW and Mr. Greg Edmund of Spink it has been established from Spink’s copy of the Bliss sale catalogue (Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 22 to 24 March & 15 to 19 May 1916, lot 787) that Spink’s in-house bidder number matched the client initials V.M.B., so the coin was obviously bought for Virgil M. Brand in 1916.
It has further been discovered that in the Brand ledgers, the second column headed ‘Inv. No.’ actually refers to the lot number from the auction where the listed coin was purchased. In the case of Brand item 80700 referred to in the main article above the lot number is listed as 787, which is the Bliss lot number for the Catrine Cotton Works No. 3505 4/9 countermarked 8 reales. This is certain proof that the Brand coin was indeed purchased from Bliss via Spink.