Lot Essay
The condition of the lot is as stated in the catalogue.
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PALESTINE -- PALESTINE PARTITION COMMISSION
[Woodhead Commission] Report. [Cmd. 5854.] London: HMSO, 1938. [With:] -- Palestine. Statement by his Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. [Cmd. 5893.] London: HMSO, 1937. 2 volumes, 8° (245 x 154mm). 310pp, 13 maps, two of which in pocket at end, with duplicate copies of maps 9 and 10 loosely inserted in pocket and annotated in pencil, and 4pp. (Edges lightly soiled, the second work with a few minor marginal nicks.) Original blue printed wrappers, and bifolium (the first with spine faintly soiled, extremities lightly rubbed, two small tears on lower wrapper repaired with tape). Provenance: illegible contemporary ink ownership inscription on title and numerous pencil annotations in first work.
When the Peel Commission presented its findings in 1937 (see previous lot), stating that the Mandate had become unworkable, and outlined the major partition boundaries to be implemented, Chamberlain's government took fright at the prospect of dismantling the Mandate system, and in a secret vote on 8 December 1937, the cabinet rejected its findings. The British government then commissioned the Woodhead Commission, ostensibly to report on how partition might be implemented practically, but in reality to bury the proposals. Their report dismissed partition on the grounds that an independent Arab state would not be financially self-supporting. The present Report contains extensive pencil marginalia obviously written by an expert on Palestine, with many withering criticisms of its proposals and objections to its conclusions; the duplicate maps are annotated with population figures in the same hand, noting the changes in population numbers of Jews and Arabs under plan B or plan C partition boundaries.
[Woodhead Commission] Report. [Cmd. 5854.] London: HMSO, 1938. [With:] -- Palestine. Statement by his Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. [Cmd. 5893.] London: HMSO, 1937. 2 volumes, 8° (245 x 154mm). 310pp, 13 maps, two of which in pocket at end, with duplicate copies of maps 9 and 10 loosely inserted in pocket and annotated in pencil, and 4pp. (Edges lightly soiled, the second work with a few minor marginal nicks.) Original blue printed wrappers, and bifolium (the first with spine faintly soiled, extremities lightly rubbed, two small tears on lower wrapper repaired with tape). Provenance: illegible contemporary ink ownership inscription on title and numerous pencil annotations in first work.
When the Peel Commission presented its findings in 1937 (see previous lot), stating that the Mandate had become unworkable, and outlined the major partition boundaries to be implemented, Chamberlain's government took fright at the prospect of dismantling the Mandate system, and in a secret vote on 8 December 1937, the cabinet rejected its findings. The British government then commissioned the Woodhead Commission, ostensibly to report on how partition might be implemented practically, but in reality to bury the proposals. Their report dismissed partition on the grounds that an independent Arab state would not be financially self-supporting. The present Report contains extensive pencil marginalia obviously written by an expert on Palestine, with many withering criticisms of its proposals and objections to its conclusions; the duplicate maps are annotated with population figures in the same hand, noting the changes in population numbers of Jews and Arabs under plan B or plan C partition boundaries.
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