The Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz: from the archive of King Ali's personal physician

[Hejaz]. Makowski, Max (Pasha), Polish-born physician in the Middle East (1888-1955). A collection of early photographs of Arabia, with additional material.

Mainly Jeddah but also Mecca and Baghdad, early 1920s, with a few addenda to 1955.

A collection of 14 vintage gelatin silver prints, mainly ca. 80 x 130 mm to 105 x 160 mm, and one ca. 40 x 60 mm. Further includes a small trove of correspondence and visiting cards (in English, German, and Russian), mainly Jeddah, 1922-1925, as well as a quantity of documents, correspondence and newspaper clippings, mainly Baghdad, 1930s to 1950s.

Auf Anfrage

An uncommon trove of twelve early, original photographs of the Hejaz while under the short-lived Hashemite Kingdom, removed from an album kept by the Polish-born physician Maksimilian Mordechaj Makowski. One photograph shows the "Kaabah in Mekka" (annotated thus in ink) and another the pilgrims' tent city before the Masjid al-Khayf at Mina. The remainder mostly show scenes in Jeddah, some annotated thus, others "Servants", but also "Beduins arm", "Arab. art[illery]", and "King Ali of Hejaz" (two photos).

Makowski, a native of Bialystok, had served as medical officer in WWI before installing himself in the Persian embassy at Jeddah as a private practicioner and physician to Ali bin Hussein, King of Hejaz from 1924, and his family. After Ibn Saud conquered the Hejaz in 1925, Makowski followed the Hashemite dynasty to Baghdad, where he continued to serve as private physician to the Iraqi royal family. He died in Vienna following illness and treatment at the Neurological University Clinic.

Among the additional material are letters and cards from several important British, French, Russian, Dutch and Italian political agents in the Arabian Peninsula during the first half of the 1920s, but also additional documents that shed light on Dr. Makowski's life in Arabia and later in Baghdad. His correspondents in Jeddah include Major William Edward Marshall (1880-1926), British Agent and Consul at Jeddah, former tent-mate of T. E. Lawrence and known as "the fighting bacteriologist" (12 Oct. 1922); Sir Laurence B. Grafftey-Smith (1892-1989), British Vice Consul at Jeddah, later Minister to Saudi Arabia and friend of King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud (4 letters and 1 receipt, April-July 1923); Kerim Khakimov (1890-1938), Bolshevik Consul in Jeddah, known as the "Russian Lawrence of Arabia" (10 Nov. 1924 and 19 March 1925); and Laurent Depui (1878-1947), French consul in Jeddah, known as "Chérif Ibrahim" and "le Lawrence d'Arabie français" (31 Dec. 1924). Two inscribed visiting cards are from the Italian consul in Jeddah, Antonio Fares; two others from the Dutch Vice Consul Raden Prawira di Nata refer a pilgrim for medical help or ask Makowski to dine. During his time in Baghdad, Makowski also corresponded with Sir Reader W. Bullard (1885-1976), former Consul and then Minister in Jeddah and Tehran, in political matters (1 Aug. 1939). Further material is in Arabic: two letters from the Iraqi royal court (1939), and another item inscribed "order Transjordanski" on the envelope. There are also two certified translations into French and English of the document in which King Faisal of Iraq conferred upon Makowski "the rank of Pasha of the First Class" on 9 Jan. 1938. Additional photos from the 1930s or 1940s show Makowski standing before the Lion of Babylon with a Western colleague and two locals, and an Iraqi chauffeur with an elegant motorcar, inscribed on the verso (in German), "for your driver". A few further items, some pertaining to Makowski's death, were collected by his wife Paulina, née Bialer, who served as fashion advisor to the Iraqi court.

Several photographs still on their original backing paper; some showing stains, chips or edge flaws, but generally well preserved. Some of the additional material rather wrinkled with punched holes, folds and edge tears. An unusual survival.