Auction 73 - Jewish and Israeli History, Culture and Art

Collection of Photographs by Sam Frank – Immigration and Transit Camps – Israel, Early 1950s

Opening: $500
Sold for: $625
Including buyer's premium
About 220 photographs of new immigrants in transit camps (ma'abarot), by photographer Sam Frank. Israel, early 1950s.
The photographs depict immigrants from Yemen (including numerous photographs of Habbani Jews), Iraq, India, Uzbekistan, Romania and elsewhere, in the transit camps of Tira, Bnei Zion, Tel Mond, Nahariya, Khalsa (Kiryat Shemonah), Ein Shemer, Even Yehuda, Beersheba and Kisalon, and in housing complexes for immigrants in Acre and Beersheba. Among the photographs are portraits of children and adults, family and group photographs, and photographs showing trade and industry, work and rest, alongside general views of the transit camps – tents, fabric shelters and shacks. In addition, the collection documents immigration absorption and aid to the immigrants: immigrant children in Yokne'am, a WIZO kindergarten in the transit camp of Even Yehuda, aid activities of the army in the Kisalon transit camp, aiding the 1951 winter floods victims, occupational training of immigrants, and more.
Sam Frank (1920-2007), born in Shanghai, immigrated to Israel in 1948, settling in Tel-Aviv and working as a photographer. Among other projects, he took the pictures that illustrated several books by the author and puppeteer Dina Dzatelovski.
Some of the photographs are stamped on verso with photographer's stamp; however, most are mounted to leaves in groups, by subjects. The mounted photographs are partly captioned and dated on the leaves (English).
Enclosed: Two photographs by Boris Carmi.
Size and condition vary; most of the photographs are approx. 5.5X5.5 cm. Good overall condition.
Photography
Photography