Beschreibung:

Album with 124 unique photos taken in trade-fairs which preceded the "Levant Fair" and were held during the 1920s by the "Trade and Industry" company. It is possible, that the photos are of the "Eretz Israel and Near East" trade fairs held in the years 1925-1926. Among the photos: two photos of drawings (sketches) of buildings and gardens in the fairgrounds; photo of the plot allotted to the fair operators by the municipality of Tel-Aviv where, later, the permanent pavilions of the "Levant Fair" were built (the sign "Exhibition Grounds of the Fair of Eretz Israel and the Near East" is seen in this photo); visit of Sir Ronald Stores (a British colonial official and the first British governor of Jerusalem in the early days of the British mandate) in the fairgrounds during construction; inauguration speech delivered by the High Commissioner Lord Herbert Plumer and a tea party in his honor; furniture wing, music wing, industry wings, cosmetics, health, banks; books wing (booths of "Shtiebel" publishing house and Eliyahu Bros.); booth of "Bezalel", booth of the wineries union and Rishon LeZion winery; booth of the "Singer" sewing machines, booths of "Nur" matches factory, "Noam"- chocolate factory, Tel-Aviv municipality, "Solel Boneh" company, "HaMadpis" company of Jerusalem, "Lloyd" and "Jaffa" booths, Survey of Palestine booth, agricultural booth (with plants brought from farms established on JNF lands through Keren HaYesod,), a booth with cattle from Russia, Fire departments stand, Lebanese booth, Egyptian booth, Booth exhibiting artifacts from the Middle East (Damascus and Port Said); as well as photos of the zoo and gardens around the fairgrounds, the Police tent and the fairground offices. On the last page appear photos of two letters, written by Herbert Samuel and Sir Gilbert Falkingham Clayton who served as the secretary of the British Mandate Government during the days of the High Commissioner Herbert Samuel (dated April 1924). "In 1923 the 'Commerce and Industry' company established the Union for Local production which announced "war against the public's indifference towards products made in Palestine and lack of attention on the part of important institutes towards everything that needs support and strengthening." The union initiated the first experimental fair for local products. The fair was held in four rooms of the Zionist club on Rothschild Blvd. with only 16 participants. The fair was very successful and more than 10,000 visitors (free entrance) visited the place (Tel-Aviv's population was only 16,000). This successful fair encouraged the organizers to engage in the production of a larger fair. Yehoshua Gordon, editor of the economic periodical 'Commerce and Industry' headed the public committee that organized the fair. The announcement stated the aim of the fair: 'this fair will show us the working and building Yishuv, busy in creating real things. We shall see our land as it is, living and developing; we will find here produce, industry…'" (Korbman, a different Kind of Tel-Aviv photographer, by Batia Karmiel. Eretz Israel Museum and Yad Ben-Zvi publishing, Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, 2004, p.79). Total of 124 photos. Average size: 11.5X17 cm (several smaller photos). Album 28X35 cm. Most of the album's leaves are detached. Photos in good condition.