Auction 63 - Rare and Important Items
About 1500 Aerial Photographs of Palestine – Mandatory Mapping Project of Palestine – 1944-1945
Opening: $8,000
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000
Unsold
About 1500 aerial photographs of Palestine, photographed by the Royal Air Force aircrafts, in the framework of the mapping project of Palestine, 1944-1945.
These photographs were taken, most probably, as part of the mapping project performed by the British Mandate administration – the first project of its kind –photographing Palestine from the air.
Towards the end of World War II, in the years 1944-1945, numerous aircrafts of the British Army were parking in Palestine and made it possible to carry out the extensive aerial photography operation. The result – thousands of photographs of Palestine, which were used for the first mapping project of Israel. The collection includes an interesting documentation of the country prior to the Independence War: villages and settlements which were destroyed during the war, newly established Jewish towns and settlements, main roads, non-populated landscapes, airports, army camps and more.
The photographs show the northern part of Palestine, and depict, among others, the settlements Kfar Tabor; Kfar Giladi, Ein Shemer; Gan HaShomron; Pardes Hannah; Karkur; Al Malkiya (present day Kibutz Malkiya); the Arab villages Balida, Nuris, Al-Mazar, Lajun, and other locations. On the bottom margins of each photograph appear the height of flight, date, serial number of the photograph, and other technical data (in the plate, written by hand).
In addition – some markings with color crayons appear on some of the photographs, marking lands and agricultural areas, divided by kind of soil and development options. The photographs are placed in six filing folders, with various titles, written by hand, on the spine: "Center for study of rural construction"; "Settlement and Development", "regional planning", and other titles, and served most probably an entity engaged in settlement or in research.
On the back of most photographs appears an ink-stamp: "Aerial photography department, Israel Air Force" (first name of IDF aerial photographs deciphering unit, founded in 1948), and on some appear handwritten inscriptions: names of villages, settlements and datum points.
About 1500 photographs, approx. 24 X 24 cm (some photographs are larger or smaller). Condition varies. Good-fair overall condition. Creases, stains and damages (mostly at margins and on the back). A number of photographs are in fair-poor condition, with tears and open tears.
These photographs were taken, most probably, as part of the mapping project performed by the British Mandate administration – the first project of its kind –photographing Palestine from the air.
Towards the end of World War II, in the years 1944-1945, numerous aircrafts of the British Army were parking in Palestine and made it possible to carry out the extensive aerial photography operation. The result – thousands of photographs of Palestine, which were used for the first mapping project of Israel. The collection includes an interesting documentation of the country prior to the Independence War: villages and settlements which were destroyed during the war, newly established Jewish towns and settlements, main roads, non-populated landscapes, airports, army camps and more.
The photographs show the northern part of Palestine, and depict, among others, the settlements Kfar Tabor; Kfar Giladi, Ein Shemer; Gan HaShomron; Pardes Hannah; Karkur; Al Malkiya (present day Kibutz Malkiya); the Arab villages Balida, Nuris, Al-Mazar, Lajun, and other locations. On the bottom margins of each photograph appear the height of flight, date, serial number of the photograph, and other technical data (in the plate, written by hand).
In addition – some markings with color crayons appear on some of the photographs, marking lands and agricultural areas, divided by kind of soil and development options. The photographs are placed in six filing folders, with various titles, written by hand, on the spine: "Center for study of rural construction"; "Settlement and Development", "regional planning", and other titles, and served most probably an entity engaged in settlement or in research.
On the back of most photographs appears an ink-stamp: "Aerial photography department, Israel Air Force" (first name of IDF aerial photographs deciphering unit, founded in 1948), and on some appear handwritten inscriptions: names of villages, settlements and datum points.
About 1500 photographs, approx. 24 X 24 cm (some photographs are larger or smaller). Condition varies. Good-fair overall condition. Creases, stains and damages (mostly at margins and on the back). A number of photographs are in fair-poor condition, with tears and open tears.
Photographs - Palestine
Photographs - Palestine