(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

AUCTION 16 | Tuesday, June 25th, 2002 at 1:00

Important Hebrew Printed Books and Manuscripts From the Library of the London Beth Din

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Lot 8

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

Commercial Receipt book belonging Daniel Russell Jr. (1726-1788), goldsmith, silversmith and merchant of Newport, Rhode Island. Containing Signed receipts by Jewish merchants of Newport, 1750-1758. Entries are dated August 15th 1750 - January 8th 1768. Majority of entries are between 1750 and 1752. There are c. 270 receipts by 36 merchants (pp.242-125). The remainder of the book consists of early 19th century business and personal The volume contains 33 signed autograph receipts by six leading Jewish merchants. Chronologically the receipts can be divided into groups: 1750-1751: Isaac Hart, Naftaly Hart and Moses Levy; 1751-1752: Moses Lopez and Zachary Pollock and 1758: Aaron Lopez. Some of the sums involved were rather large. For example, Isaac Hart was paid 345 pounds and one of his receipts contains a partial payment in gold buttons and silver buckles (p.228). Aaron Lopez was paid 120, 140 and 200 pounds. There is no information on the merchandise purchased pp.242 (later pagination, in reverse). Contemporary calf, 95x150mm

Newport: 1750-68

Est: $3,000 - $5,000

PRICE REALIZED $2,000

The Jewish community of Newport was reestablished in the 1740s, mostly by Sephardic Jews. The 1750’s saw a further influx of Jews and marks the beginning of the "Golden Age' of the Newport Jewish community. Jews were not only wealthy merchants, ship owners and manufacturers of goods, but also became an integrated part of the larger community. In the 1750’s the number of Jews was very small. They married among themselves and maintained close business partnerships. The Hart, Levy, Lopez and Polock families had a significant role in that community. The Old Jewish cemetery, contains a compact group of graves belonging to the influential Touro, Rivera, Seixas, Hayes, Levy, Lopez and Pollock families. See M.A. Gutsein, The Story of the Jews of Newport (1936). Early autographs from the Jewish Community of Newport are rare, most of them in institutional collections