Collection of 40 postcards – views of Jerusalem and Eretz Israel, published by Frédéric Vester [Fr. Vester – American Colony], early 20th century, along with an elegant 3D Graphoscope viewing device.
Most of the postcards depict prominent buildings and sites in Jerusalem and its surroundings – Jaffa Gate, the entrance to the Old City, Rachel’s Tomb, Absalom’s Pillar, worshippers at the Western Wall, the Tower of David, the Mount of Olives, Mount Zion (postcard no. 1 in the series “First View of the City”), a panoramic view of the Old City, the Temple Mount, the Golden Gate, and more.
Graphoscope viewing device – German-made, 19th century, unfolds into three tiers for postcard viewing. An elegant wooden box that opens vertically, with floral decorations on the lid. When opened, the postcard is placed in a designated slot opposite the magnifying glass, and the image appears in sharp, three-dimensional effect, offering a striking viewing experience through the lens.
Vester, a Swiss-born Lutheran, was born in Jerusalem in 1869. He married Bertha Spafford, daughter of the founders of the American Colony. Vester gained recognition as the leading photographer of the American Colony and documented the visit of German Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1898 through the historic photographs he took at the time. Vester headed the photography department of the American Colony. The technical quality of the photographs and the precision of their composition were of the highest standard. Many of the postcards in this series serve as the earliest visual documentation of these sites, later reproduced in dozens of publications based on the original series.
Viewer: 22x14x7 cm (closed), minor blemishes on the wooden edges.
Postcards: 9×14 cm. Very good condition.
