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Judaica and Hasidic Books and Manuscripts

Lot 52:

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Important Early 20th-Century Yiddish Modernism Set (2 Volumes) – Yehoash (Solomon Bloomgarden), New York (1907–1912) Gezammelte Lieder / געזאמעלטע לידער פֿון יהואש Fabeln / פֿאַבלען פֿון יהואש

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Start price: £120

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Description

An exceptional, historic offering containing two separate foundational works by the undisputed giant of Yiddish literary modernism, Solomon Bloomgarden, known universally by his legendary pen name, Yehoash (יהואש). Printed in New York during the golden era of American immigrant literature, this lot captures the peak of the cultural renaissance that transformed Yiddish into a sophisticated, universal literary medium.

  • Author: Solomon Bloomgarden (שלמה בלומגארטען; 1870–1927), writing under the pseudonym Yehoash. Born in Lithuania, he immigrated to the United States in 1890, becoming the foremost Yiddish poet, linguist, and cultural theorist in America.
  • Literary Significance & Controversy: Yehoash played a singular, revolutionary role in elevating Yiddish from a vernacular folk dialect to a premier high-literary language. His poetry initially sparked fierce debate among traditionalist circles for introducing secular, philosophical, and universalist motifs—such as ancient global mythology, deep psychological introspection, and romantic nature poetry—challenging the traditional boundary of Yiddish as a purely insular language.
  • Notable Connection: Yehoash is globally immortalized for his monumental, decades-long masterwork: the definitive, complete translation of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) into modern literary Yiddish, a feat that fundamentally unified Jewish textuality with modern European linguistic standards.
Included Volumes:

1. Item A: Gezammelte Lieder (Collected Poems) — 1907

  • Title: Gezammelte Lieder / געזאמעלטע לידער פֿון יהואש Publication: Printed in New York by the landmark publisher A. M. Evalenko, 1907.
  • Content: This definitive collection represents the absolute zenith of Yehoash’s early poetic output, establishing him as the leading intellectual voice of the Western Yiddish diaspora.
  • Format: Housed in its original, beautiful green cloth binding featuring an elegant embossed gold-leaf title block on the front cover.
2. Item B: Fabeln (Fables) — 1912
  • Title: Fabeln / פֿאַבלען פֿון יהואש
  • Publication: Published by the specialized Yehoash Publication Society (ארויסגעגעבען פֿון פֿערלאג יהואש), New York, 1912.
  • Content: A brilliant collection of original philosophical, allegorical, and ethical fables that deliver biting social and moral critiques through a modernized, highly artistic Jewish lens.
  • Format: Housed in its original presentation-grade red cloth binding with blind-stamped floral wreaths.

Condition report:

Status: Good Antique Condition. Both books reflect their authentic history as actively read and treasured cultural artifacts from the early 20th-century immigrant community.


Integrity: Both volumes are textually complete, with all inner leaves, title pages, and tables of contents present and fully attached.

Exterior: The original period cloth bindings display honest handling wear, light rubbing along the corner tips, and typical shelf-fading (predominantly visible along the spines). The gold lettering on the green volume remains bright.

Interior: The inner paper blocks remain solid and tightly bound. Pages exhibit uniform, soft natural age-toning and very minor scattered handling spots, completely free of any widespread dampstaining, active mildew, or major structural tears.