Auction 97 Part 2 Rare and Important Items
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Lengthy, detailed, handwritten account of a journey over several weeks, from March 7 to April 10 [1855], to the Holy Land under Ottoman rule. English.
Handwritten travel diary of a prominent, well-connected American tourist whose name is unmentioned. The diary provides intriguing documentation of the early colonial period in the Holy Land, including meetings with consuls and with representatives of world powers, and meetings with travelers and other personalities who happened to be in the Holy Land at the time. It also includes descriptions of holy cities and sites (some of which were off-limits to Christians), and of local inhabitants and their lifestyles, and more.
The diary begins with the author relating his arrival by ship at the shores of the Holy Land: The "memorable morning when my feet first trod the soil of Judea! ... on the deck of the Germania this ancient city appeared beautifully resting upon the bold point commanding a fine view of the road-stead & of the Mediterranean". In an additional observation from that first day, the author gives his impressions of a meeting he had with American Vice Consul Jacob Serapion Murad, who dispatched his personal bodyguard to accompany the traveler on his way to Jerusalem.
Further on in the diary, the author gives a detailed account of his experiences on the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem, and thus provides a revealing picture of just what sort of journey this would have been in those days, including descriptions of the various way stations, encounters with local Bedouin nomads, and road tolls forcibly collected by various parties. He describes various sites, such as Absalom’s Pillar, Solomon’s Pools, the Hill of Evil Counsel (as it was identified at the time), and "the monastery that fell prey to the Muslims". He also paints a contemporary picture of the local forms of agriculture and of the nature – in particular, the flora – and the natural landscape of the land. But perhaps the most fascinating and important part of the diary – the description of Jerusalem – consists of observations made in the course of several days, and introduces some of the prominent figures and personalities active in the city at the time (some of them barely ever mentioned in other documents), individuals such as "Mr. Meshullam" (John Meshullam, an English Jewish convert to Christianity, one of the founders of the farming community of Artas, near Bethlehem); "Mrs. Cooper" (Caroline Cooper, who established the Anglican Mission’s girls’ school); "Mr. Graham" (presumably the photographer James Graham); "a Mr. Cresson, once a Quaker in Philadelphia, and now turned Jew" (Warder Cresson, later Michael Boaz Yisrael ben Abraham, who briefly served as the first US Consul to Jerusalem, prior to converting to Judaism); and others. This part of the diary also contains an interesting description of the Jewish converts to Christianity in the workshops of the Anglican Mission, including their occupations and appearance. Some entries describe visits to places and sites that Christians were forbidden from entering, or sites inaccessible to all visitors, for instance, a visit to the Tomb of David guided by a Bedouin child: "I was led into the mosque and at the furthest end I was pointed to a little window which was said to look into the tomb"; a tour of the Adullam Caves near Hebron, using a candle and string to mark the way in a place otherwise blanketed by complete darkness; and more.
On March 20, the author mentions preparations for the visit of the Duke of Brabant to Jerusalem. Taken together with other details from the diary, this reference indicates that the author’s visit to the Holy Land took place in 1855.
Parts of the diary describe the author’s journey beyond the boundaries of the Holy Land, to Egypt and Europe.
52 handwritten leaves. 18.5 cm. Diary leaves in good condition. Minor blemishes and tears to edges. Few stains. Leaves and gatherings detached in whole or in part. Front board detached. Parts of spine detached or missing.
Some 130 postcards printed on the occasion of the official visit of the German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, to the Holy Land. Various printers; most postcards printed in Germany, 1898.
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany made his journey to the Holy Land and the major cities of the Ottoman Empire in the months of October and November 1898. The visit to the Ottoman Empire was regarded as a highly significant historical milestone in relations between the two empires.
Because of the tremendous importance attached to the voyage, it was commemorated in many and varied ways – through books, games, and a host of souvenirs – but by far the foremost medium was the postcard. Germany was, at the time, the world’s leading producer of postcards. An astounding number of publishers – some 350 of them, from Germany and other countries – began publishing postcards commemorating the journey on a historically unprecedented scale. The vast majority of postcards were printed and circulated throughout the year 1898 – some shortly before the Kaiser embarked on his journey, most during the journey itself, and some shortly after his return to his homeland. In honor of the visit, some publishers made a special offer to purchasers: individual postcards would be sent to one of the Kaiser’s destinations in the Middle East, would await the Kaiser’s arrival at that destination, and would then be postmarked on the day of his arrival and be subsequently mailed to the purchaser.
The present collection comprises over 130 postcards – most of them postmarked – and is arranged in three albums according to the various types of postcards and according to the printed subject matter, as follows:
· The first album contains some 30 postcards either bearing rare postmarks or representing limited editions. Included: Two postcards and an envelope with rare postmarks from the royal yacht ("Kais. Deutsche Marine-Schiffsspost"); postcards with postmarks from the Imperial Tent Camp in Jerusalem ("Camp Imperial Jerusalem" in Latin and Arabic letters); four large-format postcards published by Knackstedt & Näther (Hamburg); a postcard issued in honor of a planned visit to a destination the Kaiser never actually reached – the city of Luxor, Egypt (published by Emil Frankel, Egypt); and more.
· The second album contains some 50 postcards that bear postmarks dating from the day of arrival of the Kaiser in various cities; these are postcards postmarked at the German post office branch in Jaffa; the Ottoman post office branch in Jerusalem; and the Austrian Consulate in Jerusalem; as well as postcards postmarked at the Imperial Tent Camp in Jerusalem, and more. In addition, in the same album there are postcards featuring pictures of the various hotels in which the Kaiser stayed in the course of his journey.
· The third album contains some 50 postcards from various places the Kaiser passed through during his journey, including Venice, Athens, Constantinople, the Holy Land, and additional places.
Included among the various publishing companies responsible for printing postcards in this collection are Hermann Vogel (Berlin), Alfred Silberman (Berlin), Knacksted & Näther (Hamburg), Verlag des Syrischen Waisenhaues (Jerusalem), Ersten Internationalen Ansichtskarten-Gesellschaft (Berlin-Vienna), and others.
Some of the postcards appear in duplicate copies, usually with variations.
Enclosed: · Portrait of the Kaiser (1906), wearing a medal struck to commemorate the inaugural ceremony (1898) of the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem; · Ex Libris (bookplate): "Kaiser Wilhelm Bibliothek Posen" (1898); · picture, mounted on cardboard, of a bronze bouquet of flowers, created for the Kaiser to lay on the tomb of Saladin in Damascus; 4 postcards that apparently served as inspiration for postcards issued in honor of the Kaiser’s journey to the Middle East.
Reference: Ralph Perry and David Pearlman, "Postcards commemorating the Journey of the Imperial Couple to the Orient in 1898", Verein für Württembergischen Kirchengeschichte, Stuttgart, 2019.
Some 130 postcards, approx. 9X14 cm (four of the postcards are in large format, 15X22 cm). Varying condition. Overall good condition.
Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Visit to Jerusalem
In the months of October-November 1898, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and his wife, the Empress Augusta Victoria, toured some of the major cities of the Ottoman Empire, with Jerusalem being the most important of the destinations. The journey took place at a time when the impending and anticipated disintegration of the Ottoman Empire was hovering in the background, and a struggle between the European powers over the "spoils" – the assets of the so-called "Sick Man of Europe" – appeared likely to ensue in the near future. The journey went on for more than a month. Chief among its goals were the strengthening of ties between the German and Ottoman empires and the encouragement of Christian settlement in the Holy Land. Among the places visited by the Kaiser and his entourage were, in addition to Jerusalem, Athens, Constantinople, Haifa, Jaffa, Ramle, and Cairo.
Preparations for the Kaiser’s visit to Jerusalem had already begun in the summer of 1898. These included a massive municipal clean-up, the improvement and overhaul of infrastructure, the laying of a new telegraph line, and other operations. In time for the Kaiser’s arrival in Jerusalem, a number of municipal roads were widened. The authorities went as far as breaching a gap in Jerusalem’s Old City Wall, adjacent to Jaffa Gate, to enable the smooth passage of the Kaiser’s opulent carriage. In addition, the city streets – most notably HaNevi’im Street, where a special tent camp for the Kaiser and his entourage, the so-called "Camp Imperial", was to be temporarily constructed – were adorned with the flags of Germany and the Ottoman Empire, and with makeshift, portable ceremonial gates.
One of the main highlights of the Kaiser’s visit to Jerusalem was the inaugural ceremony of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, adjacent to the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. The Kaiser also visited the German Colony, the Mt. of Olives, City Hall, and other sites. From a Jewish standpoint, undoubtedly the most historically important event on the Kaiser’s itinerary was his hastily arranged meeting with Theodor Herzl.
Throughout their visit, Wilhelm and the Empress were accompanied by a small entourage. The Kaiser rode either on horseback or in the imperial carriage. Following in the footsteps of his immediate entourage in Jerusalem was a parade of lower-ranked officials, accompanied by cavalry regiments and "kawas" officials – ceremonial Ottoman-Empire bodyguards.
The Kaiser’s mission was documented in its time in hundreds of books and articles, and commemorated on playing cards, board games, and souvenir cards – collector’s items – featuring Holy Land landscapes. But beyond a doubt, the quintessential commemorative souvenirs of the visit were the numerous different postcards, many of excellent quality, printed specially for the occasion. An astounding number of publishers – some 350 of them, from Germany and other countries – began publishing postcards commemorating the journey on a historically unprecedented scale. Major publishers such as Vogel, Silbermann, and Knackstedt-Näther went as far as presenting stamp and postcard collectors with a special offer; in exchange for a fixed fee, subscribers would be rewarded with postcards featuring "the Kaiser’s blessing" from all the various cities he visited, postmarked and mailed on the very day the Kaiser actually made his presence in the city in question.
Collection of especially significant ephemera from Kaiser Wilhelm II’s visit to Jerusalem. The Holy Land and Germany, 1898. German.
1. Official entrance ticket to the dedication ceremony of the Church of the Redeemer, October 31, 1898, issued to "H. Silberdiener Krause" – the person responsible for the Kaiser’s silverware. Printed, and filled out in handwriting. On the back, dress code instructions and a small diagram of the church, indicating doorways.
29X14.5 cm.
2. Official program for the dedication ceremony of the Church of the Redeemer ("Programm für die festliche Einweihung der evangelischen Erlöser-Kirche in Jerusalem am Montag, 31. Oktober 1898"). Berlin: Sonntagsblattes, [1898]; with detailed instructions for participants regarding each of the various stages in the ceremony, from the time of entrance into the church until the departure of the Kaiser and Kaiserin from the premises.
[4] pages, 31 cm.
3. Book of hymns for participants in the dedication ceremony of the Church of the Redeemer ("Kirchliche Festordnung zur Einweihung der evangelischen Erlöser-Kirche in Jerusalem am 31. Oktober 1898"). Berlin: Sonntagsblattes, [1898].
[4] pages, 31 cm.
4. "Map of the Imperial Tent Camp in Jerusalem" ("Plan Des Kaiserlichen Zeltlagers zu Jerusalem"); hand-drawn copied sketch with eighty-seven small, numbered circles, indicating the locations of the tents of the members of the delegation, with their names and positions, in addition to showing the tent of the Kaiser and Kaiserin, hosting parlors, kitchens, the mobile postal station, and additional structures erected on the site. One of the circles is marked in pencil and labeled with the German words "Mein Zelt" ("My Tent"). Clearly, copies of the map were distributed in order to help members of the delegation find their way around the camp.
Approx. 47X47 cm.
5. Large-format postcard with photographic print showing the Kaiser attending a ceremony wherein the German Empire is granted title to the plot of land on Mt. Zion where the Dormition Abbey would eventually be built, in 1910. Printed by Knacksted & Näther, Hamburg. Delivered by mail.
22X15 cm.
6. Rare postcard with colored illustration showing the Imperial Tent Camp in Jerusalem. Printed by H.A.J. Schultz. This postcard does not appear in the catalogue of postcards of the Kaiser’s journey to the Orient assembled by Perry and Pearlman (see: Ralph Perry and David Pearlman, "Postcards commemorating the 1898 journey of the German imperial couple to the Orient", Verein für württembergische Kirchengeschichte, Stuttgart, 2019; pages. 66-67 are devoted to postcards created by the postcard printer "H.A.J. Schultz".
Approx. 9X14 cm.
6 items. Good condition. Minor blemishes and several pinholes to map of imperial tent camp.
A collection of documents relating to the actions of the Palestinian Arab delegation in London in the years 1921-1922, from the estate of the head of the delegation, Ibrahim Shammas (al-Shammas). Most documents are from London, some from additional locations, ca. 1921-1922. Arabic and English.
In 1919, in the aftermath of the British conquest of Palestine, a number of Muslim and Christian inhabitants of the country coordinated their efforts and established the Palestine Arab Congress. At its core, the campaign focused on opposition to the Zionist Movement alongside an attempt to prevent the realization of the Balfour Declaration and preclude it from being included in the League of Nations’s mission document for the British Mandate for Palestine. The present collection of documents relates to the actions of the Congress in London prior to the publication of the text of the British Command Paper governing the Mandate for Palestine. This collection includes:
· Copies of circulars (duplication of manuscripts) on official stationery of the delegation. Some bear the signature of the head of the delegation, Musa Kazim al-Husayni. One circular is partly handwritten (most probably by al-Husayni himself) and is unsigned. London, April-July 1922. Arabic.
The circulars include protocols of meetings with British politicians, including High Commissioner Herbert Samuel, and the representative for Palestinian matters of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Winston Churchill; they bear details of the delegation’s efforts to abrogate the Balfour Declaration and amend both the British Mandate for Palestine’s mission document and the Treaty of Sèvres, and more. One of the circulars contains an account of a meeting attended by Chaim Weizmann. The same document also includes quotes from Churchill, asserting that the "Balfour Declaration is an indivisible part of [the] Palestine Mandate" and "an inheritance from the War".
One of the circulars is not intact. Some of the circulars appear in duplicate copies.
· Copies of printed letters from the head of the delegation. Unsigned. May-July 1922. English. Including: Copy of a letter on the subject of the situation in Syria, May 1922 (two copies, one addressed to the US Ambassador to the Court of St. James [official title of an ambassador to the UK], and the other to the Prime Minister of Great Britain); copy of a letter to Winston Churchill regarding the leasing of lands in Haifa to the Jewish Colonization Association, June 1922; copy of a letter proclaiming the rejection – by the inhabitants of Palestine represented by the delegation – of the Balfour Declaration, July, 1922 (two copies, one addressed to the President of the Council of the League of Nations, and the other to Winston Churchill); and letter protesting acceptance of the mission document for the British Mandate (two copies, one addressed to the President of the Council of the League of Nations, and the other to the British Foreign Secretary).
· Copy of a printed letter in the name of Winston Churchill, in response to a letter from the delegation, April 1922. Two copies.
· "Remarks on the Interim Report of the High Commissioner on the Civil Administration of Palestine from July 1st to June 30th 1921". Lengthy document (duplication of typewritten text), containing comments of the delegation regarding the Interim Report of the High Commissioner on the Civil Administration of Palestine in the one-year period from July 1, 1920, to June 30, 1921.
· Printed Booklet: "Palestine – Correspondence with the Palestine Arab Delegation and the Zionist Organization, His Majesty's Stationary Office", London, 1922. English.
· Additional documents, some hand signed, and others bearing the official inked stamp of the delegation, including letters to Ibrahim al-Shammas, and a printed document dealing with British policy in Palestine and the significance of the Balfour Declaration within the framework of the British Mandate, and more.
Enclosed: · Albert Habib Hourani, "Great Britain and the Arab World", John Murray, London, [1945]. A booklet containing a review of the situation in the Arab world, and the policy of the British authorities in Arab lands. · "The Arab Higher Committee, Its Origins, Personnel and Purposes", New York: The Nation Associates, 1947: Document submitted to the United Nations dealing with the ties between the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini and the German Nazi regime.
Dozens of documents (some 75 leaves. and a printed booklet). Size and condition vary. Overall good to fair condition. Stains, incl. dampstains. Tears.
Deck log book of the illegal immigrant ship "Atzma’ut". 1947-1948. English and Italian.
Ship’s deck log book – an official document filled out daily by the ship’s captain – regarded as the official documentation of the voyage. Such log books are managed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and are considered to bear both legal and historical significance. Once registered, changes or modifications of any kind are prohibited, and the recordings remain permanently preserved.
The present document is the deck log book of the ship "Atzma’ut", largest of the illegal immigrant vessels, which, at the time, had some 7,500 immigrants on board. The log book is filled out in handwriting by the ship’s captain, Yitzhak "Ike" Ahronovitch, previously captain of the "Exodus". The log covers a particularly long period, from September 1947 through May 1948; this span of time includes the seagoing voyages, months of detention in Cyprus, and finally the journey to Palestine under the flag of the State of Israel.
Each page contains a detailed entry indicating the ship’s location, data regarding the voyage, and details of any noteworthy incidents that occurred that day, including negotiations with the British authorities on the high seas; the landing of passengers on the shores of Cyprus, where they were to be held in detention centers; the appointment of a military guard force and the decommissioning of the ship; revocation of the seizure order against the ship on the day of the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence; the redesignation of the ship’s home port from Panama to Haifa; exchanging the ship’s flag for the flag of the State of Israel; and more.
The margins of the leaves bear the inked stamps of the Consulate of Panama in New York, because the ship’s flag of convenience (FOC) was Panamanian. The deck log book’s first entries are in a different handwriting, and in Italian; these entries were probably made by a crew member who skippered the vessel at the start of its voyage, from the United States to Europe.
The "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot" were the largest seagoing vessels to take part in the "Ha’apalah" (illegal immigration) campaign that smuggled tens of thousands of Jews into Mandatory Palestine. The ships were purchased in the United States in 1947 by the so-called "Mossad LeAliyah Bet" (the original names of the ships were the SS "Pan Crescent" and the SS "Pan York"). Thanks to their unusually large size and thanks to their ventilation systems, they could carry roughly 7,500 immigrants each. Between them, the two vessels transported about 20 percent of the illegal immigrants that eventually arrived on the shores of Palestine.
In 1947, the two ships set sail for the Port of Venice under the Panamanian flag. From there, they sailed to the port of Constanța, Romania, where they were refitted and converted from freight ships into ships suited for carrying immigrant passengers. For several months, the leadership of the Jewish "Yishuv" in Palestine refused to authorize their embarkation, mostly out of fear that the arrival of illegal ships would undermine the case for a Jewish state in the upcoming vote at the United Nations, scheduled for November 29 of that year. In the end, in December 1947 the two vessels set out for Palestine of their own volition and with no formal authorization. David Ben-Gurion chose Hebrew names for the two ships – "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot" – while they were still at sea. The British found out about the intended arrival of the ships shortly after their departure, and they dispatched destroyers to intercept them. Out of fear for the safety of the passengers, the commanders of the ships were instructed to obey the orders of the British authorities, and the crew therefore yielded and allowed the ships to be diverted to Cyprus, with no resistance. Once there, the ships were decommissioned. According to the terms of surrender, the ship’s commanders – accompanied by a handful of crew members – remained on board the vessels for the months-long duration of the detention. Throughout that time, they looked after the ships’ maintenance and ensured their seaworthiness, and Captain Yitzhak Ahronovitch of the "Atzma’ut" continued updating his ship’s log book on a daily basis.
On the day the independence of the State of Israel was declared – May 14, 1948 – festive ceremonies were held on board both the "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot". Soon afterward, the Panamanian flags were taken down, flags of Israel were hoisted, and the two ships set sail for the Port of Haifa. In the months after the establishment of the State of Israel, the "Atzma’ut" and "Kibutz Galuyot" transported tens of thousands of new immigrants – now fully legal – from Cyprus, Italy, Marseilles, and North Africa to their new home in the newborn state.
Enclosed: Handwritten note listing the entries relating to significant events appearing in the deck log book. This "legend" was presumably handwritten by Captain Yitzhak Ahronovitch himself.
[62] leaves, approx. 34.5 cm. Good condition. Few stains. Creases, stains, and tears to edges of cover. Strip of cloth, with tears and blemishes, glued to length of spine. Inked stamps on each and every leaf.
Some 45 orders and documents of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, a British unit stationed in "Ras El Ein" (Rosh HaAyin) military camp during the later period of the British Mandate for Palestine. March-May, 1948 (several earlier documents). English.
The present collection documents the evacuation of British forces from Palestine, which commenced in early 1948 and culminated on May 14, 1948. On this day, as Israeli independence was declared, the British Mandate was formally concluded, the British flag was lowered at the port of Haifa, and the High Commissioner for Palestine, Alan Cunningham, departed from the country. Included are:
· A Handwritten order for the evacuation of Palestine, including a detailed schedule for the day of the evacuation, hour by hour: order of sectors and places to be evacuated, driving speed between sections, locations of roadblocks, code words for the stages of evacuation, and more.
· Draft Conducting Orders – printed communication containing orders for troops' conduct during the evacuation: An officer or senior soldier will be put in charge of every train compartment carrying troops, troops are instructed to carry their arms at all times, to avoid leaving their train compartments, to avoid sleeping near open train windows, and more (the present copy was handed to an officer of the unit's camp, whose handwritten name appears in the margins).
· Some 20 telegraph messages sent to and from Ras El Ein camp a short while before the evacuation: a report on the theft of rifles near the Lydda (Lod) railway junction (April 1948); report on attempts by the "Stern Gang" (Lehi) to raid weapon depots (May 1945); report on a British minefield map, transferred to the Arab Legion (May 1948, map included); report on a school in Jaffa, seized by a group of Jewish militants (May 1948); and more.
· Assortment of hand-written command orders, detailing various assignments and mission to be carried out by British soldiers before the evacuation – including an order issued on April 9, detailing the preparations for the funeral of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, leader of the Palestinian Army of the Holy War, who was killed in the Battle of al-Qastal the day before.
· Five booklets and circulars issued for soldiers and civil servants who completed their duties upon the end of the British Mandate for Palestine, including tables for calculating various grants, details on the rights of discharged men, application forms to continue serving in another country, etc.
· And other additional documents.
Some 45 documents and booklets. Size and condition vary.
Enclosed: "Faugh-a-Ballagh", The Regimental Gazette of The Royal Irish Fusiliers, July 1948 (containing detailed information on the activities of the regiment in Palestine, with many illustrations).
Three original pieces of ephemera from the ceremony marking the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. 4th-5th Iyar / May 13-14, 1948.
The present ephemera items were issued to the journalist Moshe (Ron) Danzigerkron (1904-1985), the first Secretary-General of the Tel Aviv Journalists Association, and one of the participants at the ceremonial gathering for the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence:
1. "Gathering for the Declaration of Independence", official entrance ticket, printed, and filled out in handwriting. Stapled onto the inside is a note designating the seat number (Hebrew): "Row III, Seat 6, Middle".
[4] pages (ticket folded in half), approx. 14 cm. Minor blemishes. Small strips missing in two bottom corners.
2. "Gathering for the Declaration of Independence", official invitation. Sent one day prior to the declaration, May 13, 1948, with brief instructions (Hebrew): "Dear Sir, we hereby have the honor of sending you an invitation to the Gathering for the Declaration of Independence which will take place on Friday, 5th Iyar 1948, at 4:00 PM in the museum hall… We request you keep secret the content of this invitation and the time of assembly of the council … Dress: Dark suit".
Enclosed, the original envelope in which the invitation was submitted.
[4] pages (sheet folded in half, printed on front only). 21.5 cm. Fold line. Minor blemishes.
3. "Declaration of the People’s Council, 5th Iyar / May 14, 1948" ("Blue Copy" of the Declaration of Independence): Mimeographed booklet containing the final approved version of the declaration, printed on the morning of May 14, 1948, and distributed to individuals invited to participate in the ceremony.
3 leaves + [1] cover, on blue paper. Approx. 26.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Punch holes in margin. Tears, incl. open tears, to bottom margin, professionally mended. Sheets and cover not bound.
The "Blue Copies" of the Israeli Declaration of Independence
The final version of the Declaration of Independence – which most people naturally associate with the famous signed parchment scroll – was approved and completed close to midnight, May 13-14, 1948. The few hours remaining between the final approval and the declaration itself did not afford sufficient time for preparing the official parchment scroll, and thus, at the appointed time, the parties to the declaration put their signatures to a blank scroll, and the formal text was only added later, above the signatures.
Participants in the ceremony were handed printed booklets, prepared that same morning. Each booklet consisted of a three-page document enclosed within a blue paper cover. These booklets were often termed "the Blue Copies" of the Declaration of Independence; they represented the very first printed versions of the declaration, with the exception, of course, of the truly original copy, which was typewritten using a regular typewriter on a regular sheet of paper the night before the declaration ceremony.
The booklets were mimeographed by Dorit Rosen, the personal secretary of Ze’ev Sherf, secretary of the People’s Council, on mimeograph sheets she purchased at the Lautman stationery shop in Tel Aviv. Some 100 copies of these booklets were put together on the morning of the declaration (actually fewer according to some witnesses, who insist only a few dozen copies were made). They were the earliest printed versions of the declaration. At the official ceremony of the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, David Ben-Gurion publicly read out the declaration from one of these "Blue Copies".
For reference, see Hebrew.
Postcard bearing a message handwritten and personally signed by David Ben-Gurion. Tel Aviv, 6th Iyar [May 15], 1948.
The postcard is addressed to Ben-Gurion's lifelong friend, Shlomo Lavi; written the day following the establishment of the state of Israel:
"When we first arrived here in Palestine, you as Levkovich and I as Grün, holding the banner of labor in our hands, we discovered malaria, swamps, and an Ottoman regime rife with corruption. But now, though the roar of artillery has yet to be silenced, and our sons fight on the front, our heart is joyful at the sight of such great progress" (Hebrew).
The postcard is signed off with something of a personal declaration regarding the establishment of the new state: "The Jewish people have attained the epitome, the very essence of their existence; the State of Israel is born, D. Ben-Gurion".
Shlomo Lavi (Levkovich; 1882-1963), among the foremost visionaries behind the original concept of the kibbutz, close, lifelong friend of David Ben-Gurion, described by Ben-Gurion as "the most extraordinary individual of the Second Aliyah". Like Ben-Gurion, Lavi was born in the Polish town of Plonsk, and was a member of "Ezra", the Zionist youth group founded by Ben-Gurion and Shlomo Zemach. Lavi immigrated to Palestine in 1905, worked as a laborer in the Sejera agricultural colony, at the Atid Company’s vegetable oil factory, and at the Kinneret Farm, and was one of the founding fathers of the HaShomer Jewish civil defense organization. As a member of Kvutzat Kinneret (Kinneret Group), he conceived the idea of "HaKvutzah HaGedolah" (the "Large Group") – a concept that would soon develop into what became known as the "kibbutz". In 1921, he became one of the founders of Kibbutz Ein Harod. Following the establishment of the State of Israel, he served as a member of the First and Second Knesset.
9X14 cm. Postmark and "Doar Ivri" postage stamp. Good condition. Stains, mostly to bottom right corner. Punch hole in left margin, causing slight damage to text.
"Proclamation to All Inhabitants of the State of Israel", poster-form proclamation sheet issued by the Provisional Government of Israel. Tel Aviv: "HaPo’el HaTza’ir" Cooperative Print, 5th Iyar / May 14, 1948. Hebrew.
The first proclamation issued by the newly constituted Provisional Government of Israel. Printed in the national colors of the State of Israel, blue on white, and bearing an official message from the new government to its citizens (Hebrew): "In a period of supreme challenge, in days in which we are under malicious attack by our enemies, the Provisional Government has taken the rule in Israel into its own hands. Our State is the finest expression of a vision [which has persisted] for generations. We are commanded to defend the realization of this vision with all our strength".
Approx. 60X92 cm. Good condition. Fold lines. Minor blemishes to edges. Tiny pinholes in corners. Inked stamp and several notations on verso. Mounted with strips of adhesive tape on verso. Framed.
29 issues of newspapers and special publications circulated on the day of the State of Israel’s Declaration of Independence and two days thereafter. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other places, May 14-16, 1948 (one newspaper issue dated May 13). Hebrew and other languages.
Extraordinarily large collection of issues of newspapers and special publications printed on the day Israel’s Declaration of Independence was delivered (Friday, May 14, 1948), and on the subsequent Saturday night and Sunday (May 15-16).
The headlines are dedicated to the Declaration of Independence, and other newsworthy events, namely those that came in the immediate aftermath of the Declaration: the invasion of Arab armies, the battles of the War of Independence (who's most challenging and troubling phase had broken out then and there), the annulment of the restrictions of the White Paper, recognition granted to the newly established State of Israel by nations of the world, and more. The collection includes issues of the vast majority of the country’s Hebrew daily newspapers of those days, in addition to one-off publications issued specially in honor of the Declaration; issues of newspapers from embattled Jerusalem (then completely under siege); and newspapers printed for the benefit of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust still stranded in Europe.
Included in the collection:
Eleven Hebrew newspaper issues and special publications dated to the day of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, 5th Iyar, May 14, 1948: · "Yom HaMedinah", a joint newspaper of all the country's newspapers; · "Hazofeh"; · "Al HaMishmar"; · "Davar"; · "Mivrak"; · "HaBoker"; · "Yedioth Ahronoth"; · "HaYom"; · "Yedioth Yerushalyim"; · "HaMagen"; · "Likutei Devarim LePoalei Yerushalayim".
Five newspaper issues and special publications from Saturday night, May 15, 1948, following the day of Israel’s Declaration of Independence: · "Mivrak"; · "Yedioth Maariv"; · "Iton Haitonayim"; · "Befrayung" (Yiddish); · "Wyzwolenie" (Polish); · "Witamy Pierwszy Zydowski w Niepodleglej Palestynie" (Polish).
Twelve newspaper issues and special publications from Sunday, May 16, 1948, following the day of Israel’s Declaration of Independence: · "Haaretz"; · "HaBoker"; · "Hatzofeh"; · "Al HaMishmar"; · "Yedioth Yerushalayim"; · "Davar"; · "Davar", special issue; · "HaMashkif"; · "Yom Yom"; · "Yedioth Hadashot"; · "Yedioth Hayom" (German); · "New York Post" (English).
Newspaper issue from May 13, 1948, the day preceding the reading of Israel’s Declaration of Independence: "Ashmoreth".
Enclosed: four additional Hebrew publications: · "Iton Rishmi", issue no. 1 (May 14, 1948); · "Iton Rishmi", issue no. 1 (typewritten and stenciled copy) [May 14, 1948?]; · "HaBoker – Children's Magazine" (May 20, 1948); · "Kol Yaldei Alyiat HaNoar" (May-June 1948).
[29] newspaper issues. Size and condition vary. Overall good condition.
Collection including 49 banknotes issued by the Anglo-Palestine Bank, Bank Leumi le-Israel, Bank of Israel, and the Government of Israel. 1948-1985.
This collection comprises six series: the fractional note issues (1948-1952); the Anglo-Palestine Bank series (1948); the Bank Leumi le-Israel series (1952); series I-IV of the Bank of Israel (1955-1975); the ("old") Shekel series (1980); and the New Israeli Shekel series (1985). All the series are entirely complete, with one exception: the 50-Pound bill from the Anglo-Palestine Bank series is missing.
The present collection was on display at "HerzLilenblum" – a museum of banking and Tel Aviv nostalgia, for 13 years, until the museum’s closure in 2019 (certification attached).
A list of the currency notes and their respective condition:
· The fractional note issues, 1948-1952: 50-Mil "carpet" bill (Pick #6), 100-Mil "carpet" bill (Pick #7), 50-Pruta bill (Pick #10c), 100-Pruta bill (Pick #12c), 250-Pruta bill (Pick #13c). Condition: VF-EF+.
· Anglo-Palestine Bank series, 1948: 500-Mil bill (Pick #14), one-Pound bill (Pick #15), 5-Pound bill (Pick #16), 10-Pound bill (Pick #17). Condition: VF-VF+.
· Bank Leumi le-Israel series, 1952: 500-Pruta bill (Pick #19), one-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #20), 5-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #21), 10-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #22), 50-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #23). Condition: VF-EF+.
· Bank of Israel – First series of the Pound (the landscapes series), 1955: 500-Pruta bill (Pick #24), one-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #25), 5-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #26), 10-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #27), 50-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #28a). Condition: VF+-AU.
· Bank of Israel – second series of the pound (the portraits series), 1958: ½-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #29), one-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #30c), 5-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #31), 10-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #32d), 50-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #33d). Condition: AU-UNC.
· Bank of Israel – third series of the pound (the prominent personalities in Jewish history series), 1968: 5-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #34b), 10-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #35c), 50-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #36b), 100-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #37c). Condition: UNC.
· Bank of Israel – fourth series of the pound (the Gates of Jerusalem series), 1973-1975: 5-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #38), 10-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #39), 50-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #40), 100-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #41), 500-Israeli-Pound bill (Pick #42). Condition: UNC.
· Bank of Israel – Shekel Series, 1980: one-shekel bill (Pick #43), 5-shekel bill (Pick #44), 10-shekel bill (Pick #45), 50-shekel bill (Pick #46), 100-shekel bill (Pick #47), 500-shekel bill (Pick #48), 1000-shekel bill (Pick #49), 5000-shekel bill (Pick #50), 10000-shekel bill (Pick #51). Condition: UNC.
· Bank of Israel – New Israeli Shekel Series (Series A), 1985: one-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #51A), 5-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #52a), 10-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #53c), 20-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #54c), 50-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #55c), 100-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #56c), 200-New-Israeli-shekel bill (Pick #57a). Condition: AU-UNC.
Enclosed: · Two cardboard tokens of 5-Pruta value, "Good for one ride through the services of the Dan (Bus) Company", Tel Aviv, [1950s]. · Printed certification issued by the Israel Discount Bank, Ltd., attesting to the fact that this particular collection of banknotes was on display at the HerzLilenblum Museum. Dated in handwriting, January 4, 2023.