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Sources for business history: plans of New Court

Sources for art history: Catalogue of the pictures of Alfred de Rothschild 1901

Sources for yachting history: Plans for Nathaniel von Rothschild's yacht Veglia 1905

Sources for natural history: Walter 2nd Lord Rothschild and his zebra carriage: c.1910

Sources for global financial history: Map of lines of the Brazil Railway Company: c.1920

Sources for business history: index cards to bank files

Sources for social history: Rothschild Hospital Paris: 1920s

Sources for business history: detail of a Rothschild bond coupon

Sources for architectural history: Halton House: 1890s

Sources for the history of travel: Lionel de Rothschild's tours of Spain: 1909

Sources for local history: Tring Park: c.1900

Sources for Royal history: shooting party with Edward Prince of Wales: 1893

Sources for political history: Lionel de Rothschild: first Jewish MP: 1858

Sources for sporting history: St Amant winner of the Derby: 1904

Sources for local history: gardeners at Aston Clinton: 1899

Sources for Rothschild family history: Lionel de Rothschild's yacht Rhodora: 1927

Sources for London history: entrance to New Court: 1965

Sources for design history: plans for Lionel de Rothschild's Rolls-Royce: 1930

Sources for business history: Rothschild gold bars produced by the Royal Mint Refinery: 1930s

Sources for business history: letters of August Belmont Rothschild Agent in New York: 1860s

Gavel from the 'TSY Atmah'

The Rothschild Archive London has recently acquired the gift of an unusual brass and wooden yacht gavel c.1898 from the 'TSY Atmah', the steam yacht owned by Baron Edmond de Rothschild (1845-1934).

000/2265 

1898

Brass and wooden yacht gavel c.1898 from 'TSY Atmah' , the steam yacht owned by Baron Edmond de Rothschild (1845-1934). The gavel measures 28.5cm x 14cm at the head, and is elaborately carved, with the inscription 'TSY Atmah 1898' and a decoration of an anchor on one side and a flag on the other. 

Born in Paris on 19 August 1845. Edmond de Rothschild, the youngest son of James and Betty joined the Paris House in 1868 becoming a director of the Est railway company and other family concerns.  In 1895, he visited Palestine for the first time, and until his death, provided support for Jewish colonists, overseeing dozens of new colonies. In 1923 the Palestine Jewish Colonisation Association was formed to oversee his affairs in Palestine.

TSY Atmah

TSY Atmah saw long and distinguished service. Launched on the 5th May 1898, Atmah was a steel screw steamer 2 masted yacht built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan, at the Fairfield Yard, No. 403. The vessel initially sailed under the flag of France.

A substantial vessel, Atmah's tonnage was 1428 grt /1746 tm, with  a length of 289.5 ft, breadth of 34.2 ft and depth of 19.1 ft. In 1901 the vessel was lengthened by Beardmore at Govan to 314.1 ft, increasing the tonnage to 1573 grt. The engine builder was Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, and the engine was a 2-screw, twin triple expansion engine, capable of 508nhp 3000ihp, 16 knots.

Atmah’s first owner was Baron Edmond, and the first port of register was Havre. The vessel was registered to Edmond's son, James Armand de Rothschild (1878-1957) in 1940. During the First World War, Atmah reported on Admiralty service, and in July 1940 was purchased by the Admiralty as a target yacht and attached to the Fleet Air Arm for flying training, serving from 1944 as an accommodation ship, ‘HMS Atmah’. In 1947, Atmah was sold to the Chagris Steamship Co Ltd (Goulandris Bros.), London, and converted to a passenger ship. Renamed ‘Aegean Star’, she sailed for a further for three years, until withdrawn from service. In December 1950 she arrived at La Spezia for breaking by Cantieri di Portovenere S.p.A.

The purpose of the gavel is not known; it may have been a commemorative piece, created when Atmah was launched. The gavel resided for many years in the Boardroom of Austin Trumanns Steel, in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.