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an old drawing of a man and a woman standing in a rooman old book with a picture of a man being taken out of itan old book sitting on top of a white table next to a white wallan old book with a black and white image on itan open book with a page in it sitting on top of a tablean open book with a page in the middle of itan old book with writing on it sitting on top of a tablean old book sitting on top of a white surfacean old book with a green leaf sticking out of it ' s cover
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238 - [OPPENHEIMER]. Strange States: Strange States: A Gathering i…
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Estimate €600 - €700
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Description
[OPPENHEIMER]. Strange States: Strange States: A Gathering in the Realm of the Dead, between a most unusual clover leaf; Or Three Unruly Ministers of State, Namely: The Duke of Ripperda, the Count von Hoymb, and the Jew Süß-Oppenheimer. A rare first edition, one of the earliest printed accounts of the creation of the ‘Süss the Jew’ legend, which was to have a grim legacy in subsequent literature and propaganda. Tetuan [Regensburg], published by Hunniades [Bader], 1738. In-8, marbled brown Bradel binding, plain spine with blue leather title label and gilt fillets, yellow edges. 2 unnumbered folios (frontispiece, title page) and 192 pp., headbands, initials and page-head ornamentation. In German. Binding rubbed, spine slightly sun-faded with a small loss to the title label, a schoolboy’s label glued to the top of the spine, some repairs (frontispiece reattached, corners of the title page and the last two leaves), some water stains and more pronounced foxing on the last four leaves, illegible ink stamp on the title page. An anonymous first edition of this political satire in the form of a dialogue between the dead, a genre that was quite popular in the 18th century. It is attributed to David Fassmann (1685–1744), a German journalist who was a master of this pamphleteering genre. The frontispiece features a woodcut depicting Joseph Süss Oppenheimer (1698–1738) suspended in a cage mounted on an imposing scaffold. In the foreground are the Duke of Ripperda (1684–1737) and Count von Hoym (1694–1736). At their feet lie volumes entitled ‘Alcoran’, ‘Talmut’ and ‘Caballa’. The author portrays the figures in this dialogue as “unworthy ministers”, accused of ambition, corruption, manipulation and abuse of power. The Duke of Ripperda is described as a political adventurer who has deceived several European courts. Count von Hoym is portrayed as a victim of the intrigues of the Saxon court. Joseph Süss Oppenheimer, who was executed a few months before the book’s publication, is presented as a powerful financier. A counsellor at the court of the Duke of Württemberg, he was found guilty of abuse of power by German society following the death of his patron. Unlike the other two figures featured, the author does not refer to him by his surname but by the derogatory term “Der Jude”. Anti-Semitic circles seized upon Oppenheimer to portray him as the embodiment of the deceitful Jew. His character, who became the infamous ‘Jew Süss’, has been the subject of numerous works, including the 1940 film adaptation, which served as anti-Semitic propaganda for the Third Reich. A copy in good condition.
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About the sale Sale of collectable books and first editions – Varia III –
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Auction time 09/14/2026 at 2:00 PM
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