Collection of Photographs - "Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa" Company, 1926

"Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa" (Haifa Bay Development) company - collection of photos and copies of sketches of the Haifa Bay area [ca.1926].
• Thirty b/w photos of the Haifa Bay area, from the period of acquisition of lands in the area by "Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa". Photos of sites and views: The Kishon River and Mount Carmel, the village Jidru, workers planting, and more. Photos are mounted on album leaves. The name of the company "Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa Ltd" is printed on the upper part of the leaves, and on the lower part of some of the leaves appears a printed caption: "propaganda material 1926".
Some of the photos are accompanied by a short handwritten text, in Hebrew and in English, depicting the photographed area and the operations of "Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa" Company: “a marshy pond at the mouth of the Kishon. In the Background the Carmel. In front the ‘Nesher’ cenent-factory which produces a cement equal to the best European cement. The pond is being filled up by the Haifa Bay Dev. Co. Ltd”; “Another view of Jedroo. The walled building in the background belongs to the effendi, the former owner of the land acquired by the Haifa Bay Dev. Co. Ltd”; “View of the Bedouin Village ‘Dar-El-Beda’...the inhabitants of the village have been compensated and have left the place”; and more • Two copies of sketches of the area, mounted on album leaves: "map of the swamps and stream on the land of 'Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa' lands" (appears twice, once titled by hand and once without the title) and "'Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa Ltd.', first period of the building plans".
In 1926, when the procedure of lands acquisition by "Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa" was completed, architect Richard Kauffmann started to plan the area so to enable "Hachsharat Hayishuv" company to market and sell the lands. This album was arranged, most probably, during that period by "Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa" company, for marketing purposes.
The photos are not signed but were taken (all or part of them) by Raphael Ernst Salus (1897-1982). Salus, born in Bohemia, moved to Eretz Israel in 1921. Upon arrival he started to tour the country and document his tours. In 1922 he was one of the founders of Kibbutz Heftziba.
Enclosed are two copies of sketches of “Hachsharat Mifratz Haifa” company.
Total of 32 album leaves: 30X23 cm. Photos: ca.11X16 cm. Some photos appear in two copies (one copy with handwritten text and one without). Good condition. Foxing marks, minor tears and filing holes.