Schwarz, Joseph. A Descriptive Geography and Brief Historical Sketch of Palestine. Translated by Isaac Leeser. Illustrated With Maps and Numerous Engravings.

(AMERICAN JUDAICA).

C. Sherman

Philadelphia

1850

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION AND FIRST EDITION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. English interspersed with Hebrew. Frontispiece portrait of Author, foldout maps of Land of Israel, lithographed views of Holy Places, etc. With an unrecorded index (uncut). Scattered marginalia (by Leeser?). An uncommonly bright copy, in a sumptuous contemporary binding and very likely Isaac Leeser’s own.

Singerman 1161; Rosenbach 683

LIKELY ISAAC LEESER’S PERSONAL COPY, ACCOMPANIED BY A HEBREW LETTER BY THE AUTHOR (SCHWARZ) ADDRESSED TO THE EDITOR (LEESER). The 19th-century witnessed sharply increased interest in the Holy Land due to new directions in Bible studies and the rising popularity of visiting the Land itself. This renewed attention was reflected in a growing body of literature of geographies and travelogues. One such Hebrew work was Joseph Schwarz’s Tevu’oth Ha'Aretz, issued in Jerusalem in 1845. Four years later, Schwarz visited the United States as a rabbinical emissary from the Holy Land and resided with his brother Abraham, who was already established in New York. While in America, Joseph Schwarz arranged for Isaac Leeser to translate and publish Tevu’oth Ha'Aretz and it appeared the following year. The book was “probably the most important Jewish work published in America up to that time” (JE, Vol. XI, p. 119). Leeser was cognizant of the pioneering status of the work and he proudly stated: “The execution of the whole [book] is the work of Jewish writers and artists, the drawings being executed by Mr. S. Shuster, a lithographer belonging to our Nation.” The title page identifies the publisher as Abraham Hart, who financed the entire project (p. viii), but Leeser elsewhere stated that Schwarz’s brother was the publisher (Occident, Vol. VII, p. 379). Leeser published the volume to “extend the knowledge of Palestine…and also to enkindle sympathy and kind acts for those of our brothers, who cling to the soil of our ancestors.” See L.J. Sussman, Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism (1995), p. 176. ACCOMPANIED BY: Autograph Letter Signed by Joseph Schwarz to Isaac Leeser. New York, Adar, 5610 (1850). Judeo-German in cursive Aschkenazic script. pp. (2), (1 integral blank) + address panel. Concerning matters realting to publication of the Descriptive Geography and Brief Historical Sketch of Palestine. Sepia ink on blue paper. Minute holes along folds, text unaffected. An archetypically contentious letter written by an author (Schwarz), imploring his translator (Leeser) to speed up the process toward publication of his book. Schwarz impressed upon Leeser the importance of completing the translation with alacrity, as further delay was preventing Schwarz from travelling home to Palestine."It is already known to your honor that my early return to the Holy Land, in life and peace, and with God’s help, is dependent only on the appearance of this work, and why should not everything possible be done to enable me to go out from exile and into freedom? " Schwarz makes a practical suggestion: "It is only a question of copying your translation and that can perhaps be done by someone else who knows your handwriting and writing style, under your supervision." Schwarz relates that he received a visit from S. Hart, the lithographer, who guarantteed he would be able to execute the images for the book within two weeks. Schwarz entreats Leeser to speak with the publisher in order to hurry matters forward and especially to begin work on the map. In a postscript, Schwarz conveys his brother's regards to Leeser. A full transcription and English translation of the letter accompanies the Lot. AN EXTRORDINARY ASSOCIATION COPY.