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- Simon Wolf
- Louis E. Levy
Background
This contract between author and scholar Simon Wolf, and publisher and editor Louis E. Levy, is a seminal document of a seminal work, The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen, first published in 1895 and still in print, and use, over one hundred years later.
A remarkably comprehensive book, The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen lists the names of thousands of Jewish soldiers and patriots who served in the American armies as officers and regular soldiers, with accompanying historical sketches of the periods and wars in which they served. The central feature of the book is a nearly 400-page listing of Jewish soldiers in the Union and Confederate armies classified according to states and alphabetically arranged. The book also includes chapters on Jews in the armies of Europe, and a series of chapters on the crimes of Russia against the Jews, and the Russian Jewish refugees in America.
Louis E. Levy, in his introduction to the book, makes clear that Wolf’s work is “free from any shadow of sordidness or motive of self-interest”: the author has dedicated whatever money the book might earn to the orphaned wards of the B’nai B’rith in Atlanta – an asylum Wolf helped to found, and which he headed.
Related to This Manuscript
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That the said Simon Wolf, as author and compiler of a certain literary work, by him entitled "The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen", and with a view to the publication of the same in book form, engages the said L.E. Levy to print and publish the book on the following terms and conditions, namely;
That the said Levy shall furnish to the said Wolf or his order Five thousand printed and bound copies of the above named book, in form specified as follows;
1st; The number of pages shall be five hundred and twelve (512), or thirty-two signatures of sixteen pages each, more or less, according to the extent of the copy to be included in the printed work.
2d; The binding of the book shall be in cloth, with gilt title on back and sides; and on the sides shall also be included such gilt design as shall be directed and approved by the said Wolf.
3rd; The quality and weight of paper, size of type-form, and size and style of body type of the book shall be similar in all respects to the sample pages embodying the Intro-
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In and for the consideration of the printing, binding and furnishing by the said Levy of five thousand copies of the said book as above specified, the said Wolf agrees to pay to the said Levy the sum of Two thousand six hundred and sixteen dollars ($2616.00), it being understood and provided that for every page more or less than the 512 pages above specified there shall be added or deducted from the above amount the sum of three dollars and thirty-five cents ($3.35).
Payment of the above amount to be made to the said Levy by the said Wolf as follows:
At the commencement of the work, and on submission of the first proofs the sum of three hundred dollars ($300.00) [In unknown holograph, in pencil:"Paid"]
[In unknown holograph, this penciled annotation: "100 ps"] On completion of one-hundred pages of the work and delivery of the press proofs thereof, the sum of Three hundred dollars ($300.00). [In unknown holograph, in pencil: "Paid"]
[In unknown holograph, this penciled annotation: "150 ps"] On completion of fifty additional pages of the book, and delivery of press proofs thereof, the sum of Two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) [In unknown holograph, in pencil: "Paid"]
[In unknown holograph, this penciled annotation: "200 p"] On completion of fifty additional pages of the book, and delivery of press proofs thereof, the sum of Two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00). [In unknown holograph, in pencil: "Paid"]
[In unknown holograph, this penciled annotation: "250 p"] On completion of fifty additional pages of the book,
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[In unknown holograph, this penciled annotation: "300 p"] On completion of additional fifty pages of the book, that is to say, on completion of the three hundredth page of the book and delivery of the proofs thereof the sum of Two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00).
The balance of the amount, namely, Ten hundred and Sixteen dollars ($1016.00) shall be paid to the said Levy by the said Wolf on or before the expiration of two months from the date when two thousand five-hundred copies of the completed work shall have been delivered to the said Wolf, or placed subject to his order, the remaining two thousand five-hundred copies to be completed and delivered to the said Wolf or placed subject to his order by the said Levy within one month after the completion of the first two thousand five-hundred copies.
For the due and proper performance of our several respective covenants as above stated, we, the above named contracting parties, hereto under signed, do bind ourselves, our heirs and assigns.
Done in the City of Washington, D.C., this 23 day of May, 1895.
Witness
Signed Simon Wolf
Done in the City of Philadelphia, this 22 day of May, 1895,
Witness Wm. A. Pieben /K.P. Babcock
Signed Louis E. Levy
