20 postcards - Views of Eretz Israel - mainly from Jerusalem, published by Fr. Vester (American Colony), early 20th century, and an elegant Shomescope device for viewing the postcards in 3D.
Most of the postcards display important buildings and sites in and around Jerusalem - worshippers at the Western Wall, Tower of David, Mount Zion (postcard No. 1 in the series! "First View of the City"), Rachel's Tomb, a panoramic view of the Old City, Temple Mount, Jaffa Gate, Golden Gate, and more. There are also postcards of the seafront of Jaffa. 20 postcards in total. 14 of them undivided back, overall condition very good.
A Shomescope device, produced by Shomescope Mfg. Co., for viewing postcards in 3D. Elegant wooden box with golden decorations on the cover. To use it, place each postcard in the designated slot in front of the mirror, and the image appears in 3D with sharpness and a stunning effect when viewed through the glass.
Vester was a Swiss Lutheran, born in Jerusalem in 1869. He married Bertha Spafford, the daughter of one of the founders of the 'American Colony'. Vester became the leading photographer in the 'American Colony' when he documented the visit of the German Emperor Wilhelm II in 1898 with historical photographs taken at that time. Vester headed the photography department of the 'American Colony'. The technical quality of the photographs and the shooting angles were done with uncompromising precision. Many of the postcards in the series he distributed are the first visual documentation of those places, which appeared over the years in dozens of different editions based on the original source in this series.
