Sentence:  "Sir, I hope you will excuse what I am going to say; but having observed that you frequently pledge similar goods to these at our shop, which are afterwards taken out by other persons, I take for granted you are in the habit of selling the <WSD>duplicates</WSD>;nb..." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A pawnbroker's ticket, which must be shown when redeeming a pledged item.