Auction 61 - Rare and Important Items
Collection of Postcards - Zionist Congresses / Signatures of Theodor Herzl, Trude Herzl, David Wolffsohn and Fanny Wolffsohn / Interesting Note in Herzl's Handwriting
Opening: $10,000
Sold for: $12,500
Including buyer's premium
1. Official postcard, First Zionist Congress (1897). Riemer No. 1. Very good condition.
2. Official postcard, Second Zionist Congress (1898). Riemer no. 3. Good condition. Sent by mail. Peeling at the back.
3. Official postcard, Third Zionist Congress (1899). Printed on greenish paper. Riemer no. 4. Very good condition.
4. Official postcard, fourth Zionist Congress (1900). Riemer no. 5. Good condition. Sent by mail. Stains.
5. Official postcard, Fifth Zionist Congress (1901). On the front appears Theodor Herzl's signature (signed "Herzl"), and several additional signatures. Riemer No. 6. Good condition. Sent by mail.
6. An unofficial postcard, Sixth Zionist Congress (1903). On top of the postcard, upside down, appears a short sentence written by hand, apparently in Theodor Herzl's handwriting: "Dr. Nordau hat eben wunderbar gesprochen" [Dr. Nordau just delivered a wonderful speech]. In the sixth Zionist Congress, also named "Uganda Congress", a vote was held for the plan to settle Jews in Uganda, Africa (supported by Herzl and Nordau), a plan which led to controversy and to arguments in the Zionist Movement. Apparently Herzl's comment refers to Nordau's speech about this subject. The postcard was sent from Basel on August 24 and is stamped "Kongress" on the back. Does not appear in Riemer. Good condition. Stains and creases at corners.
7. Postcard sent from the Sixth Zionist Congress (1903). Sent from Basel on August 25, by J. Benenson [most probably Joshua Benenson] from the Congressbureau to Michel Zeitlin. Stamped "Kongress" on the back. Does not appear in Riemer. Good condition. Stains and creases at corners.
8. Official postcard, Seventh Zionist Congress (1905). Riemer No. 9. Sent to Max Schatz by his aunt, Fanny Wolffsohn, wife of David Wolffsohn. Good condition.
9. Official postcard, Seventh Zionist Congress (1905). Riemer no. 9 (slight typographic differences and a difference in the printed date). On the postcard appears a letter with impressions from the congress (mentioning Herzl and Nordau). Good condition.
10. Official postcard, Ninth Zionist Congress (1909). Riemer no. 22. Congress ink-stamp. Good condition. Sent by mail.
11. Official postcard, Tenth Zionist Congress (1911). Riemer no. 27. Good condition. Sent by mail.
12-13. Two official postcards, Eleventh Zionist Congress (1913). Riemer no. 28 and no. 30. Good condition. Sent by mail.
14. A postcard sent by Trude Herzl (daughter of Theodor Herzl) to Mrs. Betty Leszynsky in Berlin, signed by Trude Herzl and bearing a short greeting in David Wolffsohn's handwriting (signed). Good condition.
Literature: The Official Postcards and Special Cancellations of the Zionist Congresses, Prof. Dr. H. M. Riemer, Switzerland, published by Society of Israel Philatelists, Beachwood, Ohio, ca. 1980.
2. Official postcard, Second Zionist Congress (1898). Riemer no. 3. Good condition. Sent by mail. Peeling at the back.
3. Official postcard, Third Zionist Congress (1899). Printed on greenish paper. Riemer no. 4. Very good condition.
4. Official postcard, fourth Zionist Congress (1900). Riemer no. 5. Good condition. Sent by mail. Stains.
5. Official postcard, Fifth Zionist Congress (1901). On the front appears Theodor Herzl's signature (signed "Herzl"), and several additional signatures. Riemer No. 6. Good condition. Sent by mail.
6. An unofficial postcard, Sixth Zionist Congress (1903). On top of the postcard, upside down, appears a short sentence written by hand, apparently in Theodor Herzl's handwriting: "Dr. Nordau hat eben wunderbar gesprochen" [Dr. Nordau just delivered a wonderful speech]. In the sixth Zionist Congress, also named "Uganda Congress", a vote was held for the plan to settle Jews in Uganda, Africa (supported by Herzl and Nordau), a plan which led to controversy and to arguments in the Zionist Movement. Apparently Herzl's comment refers to Nordau's speech about this subject. The postcard was sent from Basel on August 24 and is stamped "Kongress" on the back. Does not appear in Riemer. Good condition. Stains and creases at corners.
7. Postcard sent from the Sixth Zionist Congress (1903). Sent from Basel on August 25, by J. Benenson [most probably Joshua Benenson] from the Congressbureau to Michel Zeitlin. Stamped "Kongress" on the back. Does not appear in Riemer. Good condition. Stains and creases at corners.
8. Official postcard, Seventh Zionist Congress (1905). Riemer No. 9. Sent to Max Schatz by his aunt, Fanny Wolffsohn, wife of David Wolffsohn. Good condition.
9. Official postcard, Seventh Zionist Congress (1905). Riemer no. 9 (slight typographic differences and a difference in the printed date). On the postcard appears a letter with impressions from the congress (mentioning Herzl and Nordau). Good condition.
10. Official postcard, Ninth Zionist Congress (1909). Riemer no. 22. Congress ink-stamp. Good condition. Sent by mail.
11. Official postcard, Tenth Zionist Congress (1911). Riemer no. 27. Good condition. Sent by mail.
12-13. Two official postcards, Eleventh Zionist Congress (1913). Riemer no. 28 and no. 30. Good condition. Sent by mail.
14. A postcard sent by Trude Herzl (daughter of Theodor Herzl) to Mrs. Betty Leszynsky in Berlin, signed by Trude Herzl and bearing a short greeting in David Wolffsohn's handwriting (signed). Good condition.
Literature: The Official Postcards and Special Cancellations of the Zionist Congresses, Prof. Dr. H. M. Riemer, Switzerland, published by Society of Israel Philatelists, Beachwood, Ohio, ca. 1980.