Rare Book Monthly

Articles - May - 2017 Issue

May 9: 1343 AD to the State of Israel and Everything in Between: Rare Jewish Material at Kedem Auctions

Highlights from Kedem Auctions' sale of Rare and Important Items

For the month of May, I’ve written three previews of international events. One of these is a sale by Kedem Auctions, an auction house headquartered in Jerusalem that was established in 2008. The name “Kedem,” derived from Hebrew, is a direct reference to the past, but also translates to “progress.” With their focus on the history and culture of the Jewish people, Kedem Auctions looks both to the past and to the future as they seek quality historical material to auction for preservation and appreciation going forward.

 

Taking place on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, Rare and Important Items features 110 lots, of which more than 80% are works on paper—books, maps, manuscripts, ephemera, and drawings. Jewish history is rich and varied, and it stretches far back in time; the material presented for sale represents this fact well: the oldest item dates from the 14th century and the newest from the 20th. Collectors, new and old, of Jewish history and Judaica will surely want to browse the catalog. Though the live auction begins May 9, online bidding is underway at the time of this writing.

 

The item with the highest estimate of the sale is part of the minority of items that are not works on paper. Lot 58 is the pipe of “Yehudi HaKadosh [“Sacred Jew”],” founder of the Peschischa sect of Hasidism in Przysucha, Poland. The pipe has an interesting and storied history, including being lost and returned. Bidding begins at $100,000 with estimates ranging $500,000 to $1,000,000.

 

Returning to this site’s focus, a highlight of the sale is lot 35, a letter of blessing and Hatavat Chalom [literally, “making a better dream”], written by Rebbe Meir of Premishlan to his daughter around 1840. The Premishlan Hasidic Dynasty was founded by the Great Grand Rabbi Meir Hagadol of Premishlan in the 18th century, and the author of this letter, his grandson, was the most famous rabbi of this dynasty that still holds court in Israel today. According to Mattis Kantor’s Codex Judaica: Chronological Index of Jewish History, Rebbe Meir was a “miracle worker.” Along with the letter itself, the lot includes an expert’s report, which deciphers the contents of the letter and its connotations. Lot 35 begins bidding at $45,000 with an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. If rare letters and manuscripts from renowned rabbis and rebbes are of interest to you, there is a sizeable offering to browse within the catalog.

 

The earliest dated item of the sale is lot 12, a collection of early Yemenite manuscript fragments removed from the “Binding Geniza,” dating to Yemen in the year 1343 AD. The contents of the leaves include Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh [Rituals for Blessing of the Month], sections from Chapters 5-8, 11-19; Hilchot Ta'anit [Rituals for Fasting], section from Chapters 1-4. These leaves are related to a similar manuscript held in the San Francisco Sutro Library. Whether in a museum, library, or private collection, something of this age will require museum-level care! With an estimate of $5,000 to $10,000, bidding begins at $2,000.

 

Maps are not heavily featured in the sale, but lot 94 is an excellent example worth noting. Printed circa 1873-1874 in London, this folding map of Eretz Israel is quite large, measuring 1.3 meters by 1 meter [52” by 40”]. Depicting Israel on both sides of the Jordan, and delineating the journey of the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, this map belongs in a display frame. An uncommon feature of this map is that the title and many of the notes and names are multilingual, appearing in English, French, Hebrew, and Yiddish. Bidding starts at $2,000 with estimates between $3,000 and $5,000.

 

Moving forward into the 20th century, several lots are quite compelling, with estimates that are quite reasonable.

 

Lot 101 is a lithograph portrait on handmade Japanese paper of Albert Einstein, signed by both the artist Hermann Struck as well as Einstein himself. Estimates are between $3,000 and $5,000, with bidding opening at $2,000.

 

Lot 104 is for anyone with an eye for more recent Israeli history, being a collection of over 45 autographs and signed letters about the Yishuv (the Jewish community in pre-State Palestine)  and the State of Israel. Letters and autographs include noted Jewish luminaries such as Sir Moses Montefiore, Dr. Bezalel Yaffe, Meir Dizengoff, Moshe Sharett, David Yellin, Joseph Bentwich, Arthur Ruppin, Menachem Ussishkin, David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, Moshe Dayan, and Gershom Shalom. Lot 104 opens with bidding at $7,000 with an estimate ranging $8,000 to $12,000.

 

And finally, lot 107 is a Nazi Germany advertising poster for the exhibition “Degenerate Art” held in Chemnitz, Germany in 1939). The travelling show was made up of art confiscated from museums and galleries throughout Germany during the Nazi rise and displayed modern art that was viewed by the Nazi as being degenerate and perverse. It included works of many of the most famous and respected modern artists of the first half of the 20th century, including Matisse, Picasso, Chagall, and Kandinsky. This is another item, like the map of Eretz Israel, that would be most at home on display.

 

Kedem Auctions’ sale of Rare and Important Items takes place Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 7 pm Israel time (6pm CET, 12 noon EST, 9am PST) at Kedem’s offices at 8 Ramban St. in Jerusalem. Bidding may be done live in person, by telephone, via preliminary bids, and online in real time, either on the Kedem website or via Invaluable.com and LiveAuctioneers. As mentioned before, online bidding is already underway. Logging in with an existing account or registering is required for online participation.

 

Viewings of the sale will take place at Kedem’s offices at these dates and times:

May 4: noon – 8pm

May 7: noon – 8pm

May 8: noon – 8pm

May 9 (day of sale): 10am – 2pm

 

The entire catalog can be viewed online here.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG BEADED JUDICIAL COLLAR. $80,000 - $120,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: ONLY KNOWN COPY OF THE ONLY BOOK BY THE REMARKABLE EVE ADAMS. $8,000 - $12,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A COMPLETE RUN OF VISIONAIRE MAGAZINE THROUGH 2010. $6,000 - $9,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: LAW REVIEW OFFPRINT SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY RUTH BADER GINSBURG. $3,000 - $5,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: META REBNER'S WORKING SCRIPT OF THE LOVED ONE. $1,500 - $2,000
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A KATHY GROVE PORTRAIT OF CYNDI LAUPER FOR THE FEBRUARY 1989 DETAILS COVER. $800 - $1,200
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A PLASTIC COAT BY MILLIE DAVID FEATURED IN SOHO NEWS STYLE SECTION, FROM THE COLLECTION OF ANNIE FLANDERS. $500 - $700
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG JEWELRY BOX. $600 - $900
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A SET OF JONI MITCHELL LYRICS FOR "IF I HAD A HEART." $2,000 - $3,000
  • 19th Century Shop
    Catalogue 198 just published
    19th Century Shop. Darwin and Wallace, first printing of the first paper on natural selection
    19th Century Shop. Shakespeare’s Poems, first collected edition
    19th Century Shop. Walt Whitman portrait inscribed with a Leaves of Grass poem
    19th Century Shop. Major Elizabeth Barrett Browning manuscript notebook
    19th Century Shop. Spock's Baby Book, original MS
    19th Century Shop. Cellarius, Harmonia Macrocosmica, the great celestial atlas
  • Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [RUTH, George Herman “Babe” (1895-1948)]. Signed photograph. Circa 1930s. 191 x 248 mm. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HARRISON, Benjamin. Document signed (“Benj Harrison”) as governor of Virginia, certifying the service of Daniel Cumbo, a Black Revolutionary soldier. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: ONE OF THE FIRST PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: FIRST PRINTING OF LINCOLN’S IMMORTAL GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HIGHLY IMPORTANT MORMON ARCHIVE. ALLEY, George. Archive of 23 Autograph Letters Signed by Mormon Convert George Alley to His Brother Joseph Alley. $10,000 to $20,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [AVIATION]. [ARMSTRONG, Neil A.] Aviation Hall of Fame Gold Medal MS64 NGC, Awarded to Neil Armstrong in 1979. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: NEWLY DISCOVERED FIRST PRINTING OF "WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE... " FROM THE ONLY NEWSPAPER ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN LINCOLN’S SECOND INAUGURAL PROCESSION. $4,000 to $8,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: THE MOST IMPORTANT GEORGE WASHINGTON DOCUMENT IN PRIVATE HANDS; GEORGE WASHINGTON’S COMMISSION AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, 1775, ONE OF ONLY TWO ORIGINALS. $150,000 to $250,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: A VERY RARE ACCOUNT OF BLACKBEARD’S DEATH AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIRATE ITEMS EXTANT. $3,000 to $5,000.
    Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: EDISON, Thomas. Patent for Edison’s Improvements on the Electric-Light, No. 219,628. [Washington, D.C.: U.S. Patent Office], 16 September 1879. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [VIETNAM WAR]. The original pen used by Secretary of State William P. Rogers to sign the Vietnam Peace Agreement, Paris, 27 January 1973. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: SONS OF LIBERTY FOUNDER COLONEL BARRÉ ANNOTATED TITLE-PAGE, “WHICH OUGHT TO ROUSE UP BRITISH ATTENTION”. $4,000 to $6,000.
  • Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: [Langland (William)]. The vision of Pierce Plowman, nowe the seconde time imprinted..., Roberte Crowley, 1550. £8,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: [Shakespeare (William)]. [Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies], second folio edition, [by Tho.Cotes, for Robert Allot], [1632]. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Bible, Czech Biblia Bohemica, first complete Bible printed in the Czech vernacular, Prague, August 1488. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Shabthai Tzvi.- Collection of four printed and illustrated broadsides detailing the appearance, rise and fall of the false messiah, Shabthai Tzvi, Augsburg, 1666-67. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Leaf from the Beauvais Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment, [Northern France (perhaps Beauvais or Amiens)], [fourteenth century (c.1310)]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Aubrey (John). [Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme], manuscript in English, Latin and Greek, [c. 1693]. £30,000 to £50,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Poems on Various Occasions, first edition, Harriet Maltby's copy, Newark, Printed by S. & J. Ridge, 1807. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, second impression with dust-jacket, 1937 [but 1938]. £7,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Blake (William).- Thornton (Robert John). The Pastorals of Virgil, 2 vol., engraved plates by William Blake, 1821. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: America.- Mount (William J.) & Thomas Page. The English Pilot…, [bound with] The Fourth Book, describing The West Indies Navigation from Hudson's-Bay to the River Amazones, 1721. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Oldfield (Henry Ambrose), Rajman Singh Chitrakar & others. An album of 160 photographs and 13 original artworks, (1833-1919), [c. 1850s-1880s]. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Audubon (John James) [and William MacGillivray]. Ornithological Biography…, 5 vol., first edition, presentation copy inscribed by Audubon, Edinburgh, 1831-49 [i.e. 1831-39]. £10,000 to £15,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Set of First-Edition Volumes. 6,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard. A Collection of The Pooh Books. Set of First-Editions. 18,600 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Salvador Dalí, Lewis Carroll. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Finely Bound and Signed Limited Edition. 15,000 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die. First Edition. 9,500 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter Series. Finely Bound First Printing Set of Complete Series. 5,650 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms. First Edition, First Printing. 4,200 USD

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