Large Collection of Telegrams Issued by the JNF – Europe, Palestine and Elsewhere, the 20th Century / Early ...

Large Collection of Telegrams Issued by the JNF – Europe, Palestine and Elsewhere, the 20th Century / Early Telegrams and Sketches of Telegrams
A large and comprehensive collection of telegrams used for raising funds for the Jewish National Fund alongside sketches and proofs of Palestinian telegrams and additional paper items issued by the JNF. Europe, Mandatory Palestine and Israel, the USA and elsewhere, ca. 1903 to 1989; most items are from the first half of the 20th century.
Approx. 95 telegrams (many of them were designed by Emil Ranzenhofer and Joseph Budko) and several stationery papers, envelopes and sketches.
In ca. 1903, in an effort to raise funds and introduce the Zionist idea to every Jewish household, and alongside the use of boxes, stamps and other means, the Jewish National Fund started selling greeting telegrams. Alongside the "official" telegrams, telegrams for the JNF were printed and sold by other Zionist organizations, which transferred some of their revenues to the JNF. The price was noted on some of the telegrams, in local currency, and often JNF stamps were affixed to them, increasing the sum of the donation. After the establishment of the State of Israel, the word "Igeret" (letter) replaced the word "telegram" on the Hebrew telegrams; at the same time, the use of telegrams began to decline.
The telegrams in this collection belong to various categories and various periods in the history of the JNF and their artistic design varies in accordance with the spirit of the times.
The collection includes: · JNF telegrams from the early days of the JNF in Germany, Poland and Russia, including two telegrams bearing the illustration that appeared on the postcards of the second Zionist Congress that took place in 1898 (Ladani A1 and A2. Both with affixed "Zion" stamps. On one of them appears a handwritten greeting, in honor of the delegates of the sixth Zionist Congress and Theodor Herzl, by the members of "Agudat Zion" of Wilki). · Telegrams designed by Emil Ranzenhofer, printed to be used in various countries – USA, Germany, Poland, England, France, Austro-Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and more. The earliest of these was sent in 1911 and the latest in 1937. · Telegrams designed by Joseph Budko, 1919 to 1939. · Various types of JNF telegrams printed in Poland. · Telegrams printed in Palestine since 1930, including a telegram that was used in Romania as well. · Regular postal telegrams to which JNF stamps were affixed. · Late telegrams (1950s to 1980s) which were printed by the JNF branches in Israel, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, and elsewhere. · And more.
Some of the telegrams in the collection, including early telegrams, do not appear in the Ladani catalog (1995); a few are variants of telegrams listed in the catalog and others are unknown.
Several telegrams bear paper seals which were also printed by the Jewish National Fund, and others bear inked stamps of JNF branches and of various Zionist organizations; many of them bear stamps, JNF stamps and handwritten or typewritten greetings.
In addition to the telegrams, the collection also contains two early stationery papers of the Russian branch of the JNF calling the public to donate to the redemption of the land (printed in 1907; their design is attributed to E.M. Lilien; Ladani, illustration 18); sketches and proofs of Palestinian telegrams, some presumably never printed; envelopes for mailing JNF telegrams, most of them Palestinian; and more.
A total of approx. 105 items. Size and condition vary. Good to good-fair overall condition. Small holes, tears and several open tears. Several filing holes. Some of the tears are restored or reinforced with tape. Several tears reinforced with paper. Stains. Creases.
Literature: Greeting Telegrams of the Jewish National Fund, by Prof. Shaul Ladani (1995).
Provenance: The Rimon Family Collection.