As Israel once again finds itself in conflict with the Hamas terrorist organization, and as some in western countries and in Israel itself voice their opposition to the assault on Gaza – to civilian deaths in essence – this blog voices its support of Israel and Israelis at this difficult time, as the country’s best men and women fall in combat and are injured.
Let Israel prevail and be preserved.
Like graphic designer and artist, Dan Reisinger (1934-2019), Asher Kalderon was a participant in the six weeks, eighteen lesson course in stamp design for the Israeli post office led by Abram Games (1914-1996) from April 1956 at the Bezalel Academy of Art & Design, in Jerusalem. More can be read about the course in the November 2018 blog post, about Abram Games.
A set of stamps designed by Asher Kalderon marking Israel’s 16th Independence Day showed research work carried out at the Weizmann Institute of Science at Rehovot, in biology and applied mathematics. The three stamps in the set were issued on 13 April 1964, with the 0.08 Israeli Pounds value featuring terrestrial spectroscopy, a new science forming part of geophysics
Born in Bulgaria in 1929, Asher Kalderon began studies in design, but interrupted these in 1948 to emigrate to Israel – as part of the Youth Aliyah (the resettlement of young people from Europe in Mandate Palestine) – and he settled initially at Kibbutz Beit Alpha in the northern district if Israel at the foot of Mount Gilboa.
Kalderon designed the 1969 Memorial Day stamp issued on 16 April. The 0.55 Israeli Pounds stamp showed the country’s flag at half-mast, and the tab featured the inscription: ‘Memorial Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Defense Army – 1969’
After a year, he began studying design again, this time at the Bezalel Academy of Art & Design, and between 1951 and 1953 serving as a graphic designer with the IDF Training Command.
Rebekah featured as one of three Matriarchs of ancient Israel in a set of stamps designed by Kalderon and M. Pereg, and issued on 16 August 1977. The stamp with value 1.50 Israeli Pounds showed Rebekah, wife of Isaac, and mother of twins Esau and Jacob. She is seen on the stamp under the gaze of Abraham’s servant Eliezer who had come to find Isaac a wife
In 1953, Kalderon joined the Graphic Designers Association of Israel (GDAI), and in 1954 he was working in a private advertising agency.
On 13 December 1977 a miniature sheet was issued showing four stamps featuring railway locomotives designed by Kalderon
Between 1955 and 1960, he was back with the IDF, this time serving as a civilian employee in the headquarters of the Chief Engineering Officer, though in 1956 he attended Games’s course in stamp photogravure at the Bezalel.
Abraham featured as one of three Patriarchs of ancient Israel in a set of stamps designed by Kalderon and M. Pereg, and issued on 22 August 1978. The stamp with value 1.10 Israeli Pounds showed Abraham, first of the Hebrew Patriarchs and founder of the concept of monotheism. He is today revered and respected by other religions, notably the Christian and Muslim faiths. The stamp shows Abraham hugging his son Isaac who has been saved from being sacrificed
In 1960 he established an independent studio in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and over the years designed over 60 stamps for the Israeli Philatelic Service. Among his clients were government companies, and commercial companies, and he created a variety of designer product from symbols, posters and packaging, to the design of company logos.
In 1964 Kalderon took up internships in Switzerland and France.
Kalderon was the designer of a set of three stamps issued on 13 December 1983 celebrating Israeli military hardware. The 30 Israeli Shekels value featured the Merkava-Mk1 main battle tank. The vehicle was developed and designed in Israel, and although the engine is of American manufacture, most of the parts and systems are locally designed and produced
Kalderon’s style was influenced by post-1940s European design. He used bold colors and rounded lines, which were also expressed in the typography he created.
On 4 September 1984, a set of three stamps designed by Kalderon was issued, celebrating women in the Bible. The 100 Israeli Shekels value featured Huldah the 7th century BCE prophet. Living during the reign of King Josiah of Judah, she was the wife of Shallum, a man of noble descent, son of Tikvah, keeper of the king’s wardrobe – and a very distinguished position – while Huldah herself was held in high esteem for her wisdom and sage words. Tradition claims that Huldah conducted an institute of learning in Jerusalem, and that the Huldah Gates on the southern edge of the Temple enclosure led under the wall and up to the school house. The stamp shows Huldah reading a letter
Among other things, he created a logo for ‘Prili’ Yogurt, Keter Plastic (sheds and other heavy duty products), the (Israeli) Lottery, Solel Boneh (construction and civil engineering) and others.
The logo for ‘Prili’ yogurt designed by Kalderon’s design firm
Into the 1970s, Kalderon had become more religious, and motifs from Jewish culture began to appear in his work.
Kalderon was the designer of this 1.60 NIS stamp issued on 27 August 1991, marking the centenary of the JCA, the Jewish Colonization Association, founded by Baron Maurice de Hirsch (1831-1896), a German-Jew, and financier and philanthropist. Initially the JCA had directed the emigration from Russia mainly to Argentina, Brazil and Canada, as Baron de Hirsch had been at first reluctant about helping the Yishuv (Jewish Settlement) in the ‘Land of Israel’, skeptical as he was of the feasibility of an autonomous entity being established there while it remained under Ottoman rule. Nevertheless, at the end of the century the JCA began to assist a number of agricultural villages and its work in the nascent Israel continued. The stamp shows a group of settlers and a portrait of Baron Maurice de Hirsch
Over several decades from the 1960s, Asher Kalderon designed a large number of stamps for the Israeli postal service. Motifs included those celebrating Biblical matriarchs and patriarchs and other religious themes, Independence Day, Memorial Day, New Year, Arbor Day, ceramics, Israeli industry, the Elah Valley ground station, and Hebrew University.
Issued on 18 April 1999, this 2.30 NIS stamp marking the 50th anniversary of Israel’s admission to the UN was designed by Kalderon. The stamp and tab shows the flag of Israel surrounded by other flag motifs. Israel was was admitted to the U.N. on 11 May 1949
He had also produced coins and medals, sculptures, decorative art objects, painting, art prints, illustrations, and wall tapestries. He was the designer of the Bank of Israel note – 10 NIS, orange-yellow-tan – commemorating the former prime minister Golda Meir (1898-1978) and introduced in 1985 (withdrawn from circulation 1999).
Asher Kalderon died on 31 October 2018… five years ago this month.
‘Bezalel’ ceramic tiles by Ze’ev Raban (1890-1970) were featured on a set of four stamps designed by Kalderon and issued on 17 July 2001. The stamps show four landscapes of Israel – Hebron, Jaffa, Haifa and Tiberias – that decorate the facade of the Ahad Ha’am Municipal Boys School, Tel Aviv, built in 1924. Two stamps from the set, with values of 2.30 NIS and 1.90 NIS are shown above, featuring Haifa and Tiberias. Haifa Bay and the Technion building appears on the tiles portraying Haifa, while a motorboat, named after the well-known Zionist leader, Dr. Max Nordau (1849-1923), and used to transport Kurdish immigrants to Zemah (Samakh) from Tiberias appears on the representation of Tiberias. The tiled sets were created in the Bezalel School of Art workshop, Jerusalem
Israeli postage stamps בולי דואר ישראליים 