Bidspirit auction | Letter to Rabbi Shmuel Salant

Letter to Rabbi Shmuel Salant Bearing the Printed Signature of Sir Moses Montefiore, with Handwritten Additions Made After His Passing. Ramsgate, 1886. - Letter sent to the Mara D’Ara d’Yisrael, Rabbi Shmuel Salant. The text of the letter was produced by lithographic printing on the personal stationery of Sir Moses Montefiore, as was customary in the correspondence of his office during his later years. Following Montefiore’s passing on July 28, 1885, his office continued to manage charitable affairs and ongoing correspondence. In the present letter, the date and additional details relating to its dispatch were added in manuscript, and beneath Montefiore’s printed name appears the handwritten notation: “May the memory of the righteous be a blessing”, clearly indicating that these additions were made after his death. Accordingly, this is not an original autograph signature of Montefiore, but rather a printed signature incorporated into the lithographed text of the letter. The significance of the item lies in its being an official document issued by Montefiore’s office after his passing, reflecting the continued operation of his charitable institutions and their connection with the leadership of the Jewish community in the Land of Israel even after his death. [1] leaf. 25 cm. Fine bluish paper. Montefiore’s personal stationery. Lithographic printing with handwritten additions. Very good condition. Folding marks. Age stains. Sir Moses Haim Montefiore (1784–1885) was one of the most prominent figures in nineteenth-century Jewish history. He devoted himself tirelessly to the welfare of Jewish communities throughout the world and especially in the Land of Israel. His legacy remains a symbol of public service, philanthropy, and boundless devotion to the Jewish people.