(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

AUCTION 33 | Tuesday, June 20th, 2006 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Including Hebrew Printed Books, Manuscripts, & Autograph Letters

Back to Catalogue Download Catalogue

<Previous Lot

/230

Next Lot>

Lot 147

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

Ten miscellaneous books, signed by Joseph Gratz: Lefanu, Philip. Letters of Certain Jews to Monseur Voltaire (Philadeplhia, 1795). * Moore, Thomas. Odes of Anacreon (Philadelphia, 1804). * The Monthly Magazine; or, British Register, Vol. XXV (London, 1808). * The Cambridge University Calendar (Cambridge, 1811). * The Monthly Review; or Literary Journal, Vol. LXVII (London, 1812). * Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy (London, 1806). Inscription excised ** Provenance: 1. Rebecca Gratz; 2. Her nephew Horace Moses; 3. Her niece Sarah Gratz Moses (Horace’s sister). WITH: Ferguson, James. Astronomy Explained upon Sir Isaac Newton’s Principles (Philadelphia, 1806). Title signed by Jac[ob] Gratz of Philadelphia, 1809; “Presented to Horace Moses by his Uncle Jac. Gratz, March 5, 1928.” * The Economy of Life. London, 1797). * Ure, Andrew. A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines. Vols. I and II (New York / Philadephia,1844). Titles signed by Isaac Moses and Horace Moses. * ** Provenance: 1. Horace Moses and/or Sarah Gratz Moses; 2. Heirs of Sarah Gratz Moses

Est: $1,500 - $2,000

Joseph Gratz (1785-1858), a younger brother of Rebecca Gratz, was active in the affairs of Congregation Mikveh Israel of Philadelphia. In the War of 1812 he joined a cavalry unit. See J.R. Rosenbloom, A Biographical Dictionary of Early American Jews (1960), p. 48. Jacob Gratz (1789-1856), another brother of Rebecca, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1811, and later become president of the Union Canal Company. In 1824, he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature, and to the State Senate in 1839. His copy of Ferguson’s Astronomy was presented to his nephew Horace Moses. (See Rosenbloom, p. 47). Horace Moses (1820-1893) was a nephew of Rebecca Gratz, son of her sister Rachel Gratz (1783-1823), married to Solomon Moses (1774-1857), a New Yorker. Unclear however, is the identity of “Isaac Moses.” Horace had an older brother named Isaac, born 1807. However, our Isaac Moses signed on “24th December 1818” in a mature handwriting, certainly not that of an eleven-year old lad. Their paternal grandfather, Isaac Moses, died on April 16, 1818, eight months before the signing. See Malcolm Stern, Americans of Jewish Descent, pp. 64, 148.