Auction 91 Part 2 "Shanah Tovah" Postcards and Greeting Cards from the Collection of Dr. Haim Grossman
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Some 25 "shanah tovah" greeting cards printed for use by soldiers during Israel's War of Independence, and additional greeting cards pertaining to the War. Mandatory Palestine/Israel, 1947-49. Hebrew.
The lot comprises: • Greeting cards printed on behalf of various battalions, army corps, and brigades, including Battalion 79, Battalion 72 of the Seventh Brigade (Hativa Sheva), the Givati Brigade, the Gideon 13 Battalion, the Tel Litvinski Command Post, Military Hospital 5 (Tel Litvinski), the Moriah Battalion of the Sixth Brigade, the Air Force, the Navy, and more. • Greeting card titled "Fighting Israel", with a folded map of the battlefronts just before Rosh HaShanah 5709 (1948; folded). • Three greeting cards, printed by the Jerusalem Youth Battalions. • Greeting cards addressed to soldiers on active duty issued by the IDF's Cultural Services and sent by IDF mail. • And more.
Size and condition vary.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Some 55 "shanah tovah" postcards and greeting cards issued by the Committee for Peace in Israel. Israel, 1950s-70s. Illustrations by Shraga Weil, Ruth Schloss, Ya'akov Guterman, and others.
Size and condition vary. Many postcards and greeting cards were used.
Enclosed: three additional items issued by the Committee for Peace in Israel.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
25 "shanah tovah" postcards and greeting cards issued by Egged transportation company. Israel, late 1940s to 1970s.
Size and condition vary.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Five "shanah tovah" cards depicting Srulik (a cartoon character created by the Israeli cartoonist Kariel Gardosh), including two photographic cards with portraits of the senders. Israel, [1950s? to 1970s].
7X10 cm – 9.5X14.5 cm. Overall good condition. Minor stains. Handwritten inscription on one card.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
20 postcards and greeting cards illustrated by Peretz Ruschkewitz. Most published by Ruschkewitz, Tel Aviv, [ca. 1950s, some dated 1955].
The collection includes eight "shanah tovah" postcards and greeting cards depicting children, policemen and soldiers. One greeting cards bears a humoristic self-portrait of Ruschkewitz. The other postcards depict scenes from daily life; some with birthday wishes.
15X10.5 cm on average (some smaller postcards). Condition varies.
Enclosed: Cut-out picture sheet by Peretz Ruschkewitz.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Some 200 original sketches, printed sheets and finished, printed cards, designed by David Gilboa (1910-1976). Unsigned. Israel, ca. 1950-1975.
The collection comprises about 100 original watercolor sketches for "shana tovah" cards (unsigned); printed sheets, some cut and partial, with Gilboa's works for the various cards; and dozens of printed cards, some matching the sketches. Several printed items designed by artists other than Gilboa.
David Gilboa, native of Petroșani, Romania. Studied art in Budapest. Immigrated to Palestine in 1933, and in 1950 took part in founding the artists' quarter in Safed. Painted landscapes and illustrated children's books; known for his decorated "shana tovah" cards and Simchat Torah flags.
Size and condition vary.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Some 40 works of art, including prints and drawings by various artists, signed by the artists. Israel, second half of the 20th century.
The lot comprises: • Lithograph by Reuvan Rubin, signed and numbered in pencil (249/250). Inscribed: "My dear friend, gemar chatima tovah! Reuven Rubin" (Hebrew). • Two signed works by Menashe Kadishman, bearing new year's greetings – a drawing on paper and a drawing on a disposable plate. • Print by Moshe Gershuni. • Small drawing by Aharon Giladi (watercolor on paper, signed). • Print by Pinchas Litvinovsky, inscribed by the artist with a new year's greeting. • "Shanah Tovah" card made by David Tartakover. • Print by Paul Kor. Signed, dated and numbered in pencil; inscribed by the artist with a new year's greeting. • Prints by Joseph Budko, Arthur Kolnik, Moshe Tamir, Yehudit Shadur, Shoshana Heiman, and others. • Fifteen printed cards, illustrated by the caricaturist Yosef Ross. • And more.
Size and condition vary.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Printed and hand-made items with "shana tovah" greetings. Palestine and elsewhere, 20th century.
The lot comprises: • Nine uncut sheets of "shana tovah" cards in color, belonging to early Israeli series (some partly dated 570- [194-]).
• Wall calendars with images of Palestine and new year's greetings, some in golden ink (1910s to 1930s).
• Posters with "shana tovah", "happy holidays" and other greetings, some published by the JNF and the Israel Postal Service, by artists such as Otte Wallish, Zvi Narkiss, Miryam Karoly and Zillah Binder.
• A large print by David Tartakover (signed and numbered in pencil).
• A large embroidery work with new year's greetings and motifs – a dove, a shofar and flowers, dated 1942; a sketch for a caricature by Benny Burg (large sheet, depicting David Ben-Gurion, Moshe Dayan and others); two shop signs announcing the sale of "shana tovah" cards; newspapers with front page illustrations marking the new year; a round blue and white woven mat, incorporating the words "shana tovah"; and more.
Some 55 items. Size and condition vary. Several framed items.
Provenance: The Dr. Chaim Grossman Collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Some 400 "shanah tovah" greeting cards and letters from notable personalities. Palestine and elsewhere. Late 19th century and 20th century. Hebrew, some Yiddish, and additional languages.
Most of this collection consists of official cards – the majority bearing the emblem of the State of Israel and the name of a specific office or department – issued on behalf of Israel's leaders throughout the years of the state's existence: • Prime Ministers David Ben Gurion, Moshe Sharett, Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Shamir, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, and Ariel Sharon. • Presidents Chaim Weizmann, Yitzhak Ben Zvi, Zalman Shazar, Ephraim Katzir, Yitzhak Navon, Chaim Herzog, Ezer Weizman, and Moshe Katsav. • Knesset members and government ministers Moshe Dayan, Yigal Allon, Abba Eban, Pinchas Sapir, and others.
Some of the cards bear brief handwritten messages from the sender, and occasionally his signature as well: Moshe Sharett, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Chaim Herzog, Yigal Allon, Yitzhak Shamir, and others (at times a separate paper bearing a signature is enclosed along with the card).
The second part of the collection includes letters and cards from a wide range of personalities: • Brief Shanah Tovah greeting handwritten by Shai (Shmuel Yosef) Agnon (on the back of a business card). • Shanah Tovah greeting handwritten by Marc Chagall, with an illustration of a hand and an "etrog" (Yiddish, 1963). • Postcard sent by the Safed artist Yosef Zvi Geiger to Samuel Straus of Karlsruhe, Germany, bearing the Hebrew greeting "K'tivah Ve-Hatimah Tovah" ("may you be inscribed and signed for a good year, " Safed, 1899). • Letter hand signed by Avraham Moshe Lunz with the greeting (Hebrew) "may he be inscribed and signed for a good year" in golden ink (Jerusalem, 1881). • Postcard bearing a new year's greeting handwritten by Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Teicher (along with special thanks for the generosity of the Baron Rothschild). Sent from Krakow to Frankfurt A.M., 1904. • Postcard bearing a new year's greeting handwritten by the artist Salomon (Schlomo) Bernstein, along with an illustration by Bernstein (1954). • And more.
Size and condition vary.
Provenance: The Dr. Chaim Grossman Collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
41 "shanah tovah" postcards and greeting cards with pictures of celebrities. [Ca. 1970s-1990s].
The lot comprises postcards and greeting cards with pictures of international celebrities, singers, movie stars, and fictional characters, including: Elvis Presley, Brigitte Bardot, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Christopher Reeve (Superman), Boy George, Duran Duran, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and others; and several postcards and cards with pictures of Israeli celebrities.
Size and condition vary.
Enclosed: • Postcard with a picture of Elvis Presley; handwritten new year's greeting on verso. • A "quartets" playing card with a picture of Boaz Sharabi; handwritten new year's greeting on verso.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.
Extensive collection of "shana tovah" greeting cards and postcards from Mandatory Palestine/Israel and the world.
The collection comprises thousands of cards, some early, printed in limited editions or by small, long-forgotten publishers, collected carefully over a long period, item by item. Most cards are arranged in albums by theme, usually according to visual categories – blowing the shofar, flowers, Zionist portraits and the IDF; some are classified according to other characteristics – unusual size, published by the JNF, official cards published by kibbutzim and other agricultural settlement in Palestine, share- banknote- and cheque-like cards, and more.
Noteworthy items include hand-illustrated cards by artist Meir Ben Baruch (1920s); dozens of pop-up and moveable cards; greetings cards printed for the Christian audience and converted by overprinted Hebrew greetings; and "shana tovah" greetings printed on items other than paper, some unique – small Torah scroll with a printed mantle, paper napkin printed for Carmel Mizrachi, prayer books with greetings embossed in gold on covers, etc.
Publishers include Levanon, Moscow; B. Barlevi, Tel-Aviv; Eliyahu Brother, Tel-Aviv-Jaffa; Hadar, Jerusalem; Bezalel, Jerusalem; Tzentral, Warsaw; H. Goldberg, Warsaw; and numerous others.
Over 10,000 items. Size and condition vary.
Provenance: The Dr. Haim Grossman collection.
Dr. Chaim Grossman's Israeliana collection is exceptional in size, quality and variety. Grossman, an educator, historian and folklorist, was a methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous collector, and his deep understanding of Palestinian-Yishuv and Israeli material culture set the ground for a one-of-a-kind collection of mundane and less than mundane objects – from the ephemeral, the negligible, the widely available to the rare and singular.
The "shana tovah" collection left by Grossman – a considerable part of which is offered in the present auction – comprises thousands of postcards, cards, letters and other paper items made and sent year after year in, by and for Jewish communities: in Eastern and Western Europe, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, North Africa, North and South America, as part of the tradition of sending hand-written, hand-drawn or printed new year’s greetings, which originated in German Jewry but with the rise of postcards spread to most communities. The earliest items in the collection date to the 1860s; the latest were made in the late 20th century. It includes both beautifully designed, rare, early and singular postcards and cards, and mass-made, highly popular items sold in large quantities, in varying production quality and in dozens of repeating versions, each according to the technical abilities achieved by the local publication industry.
The collector's devotion to his collection is evident in the sheer number of items, in the wealth of techniques, visuals and themes, and in the thorough, intersectional categorization by period, origin, motif, technique and material. Glitter and relief embossing, scraps, lace and golden ink, lithography and celluloid transparencies, plastic, textile and metal decorations; Yiddish, Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Polish, German greetings; children, angels, families, pets, immigrants, travelers, professionals; portraits and tinted reproductions; Judaism, Zionism, the state, the army; the ritual and the mundane; any new year's greeting, in any form whatsoever, had a place in Grossman's collection and was honored as a historical testimony, as a timeless, invaluable treasure.