Max Rose (businessman)
Max Rose | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1873 Shavli (Šiauliai), Lithuanian Region, Russian Empire |
| Died | August 21, 1951 (aged 77–78) Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur · Ostrich farmer · Industrialist |
| Years active | 1890s–1951 |
| Known for | Leading ostrich feather industry revival in South Africa; known as “ostrich feather king” |
Max Rose (1873–August 21, 1951) was a South African businessman and pioneering ostrich farmer who played a major role in the development and revival of the ostrich feather industry in the Cape region. He became known as the "ostrich feather king of South Africa."[1][2]
Early life
Max Rose was born to a large Jewish family in 1873 in Shavli (now Šiauliai), then part of the Russian Empire (present-day Lithuania). Along with some of his siblings, he immigrated to South Africa in 1890 at the age of 17, settling in the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape.[1][3][4]
Career
Rose began as a feather buyer and quickly transitioned to ostrich farming.[5] He acquired his first farm in Ladismith[6] and studied the breeding and dietary habits of ostriches, notably planting and irrigating large tracts of lucerne (alfalfa) to feed them. He was one of the first farmers in the region to irrigate lucerne and shipped it by rail across South Africa to support the growing industry.[1][3][7]
Rose had extensive knowledge of the ostrich feather trade and a strong understanding of ostrich breeding and feather development, which was greater than that of many farmers in the Oudtshoorn region. He took a scientific interest in the behavior and life cycle of ostriches, was familiar with their desert origins, and studied their characteristics from hatching to old age. Rose was also well informed about international feather markets, and local farmers often consulted him during various phases of the industry's development.[8]: 21 [3][7]
By the early 1900s, Rose had become the leading feather buyer and farmer in Oudtshoorn and a very wealthy man. The collapse of the ostrich feather boom in 1914 caused financial ruin for many, including Rose. While most farmers slaughtered or released their ostriches, Rose continued feeding his birds, convinced the industry would recover.[1][3][6][9]
In recognition of his expertise, he was appointed by the South African government to a commission of inquiry tasked with examining the depressed state of the ostrich industry and proposing solutions.[1][3]
Revival of the ostrich industry
Rose’s predictions proved accurate. In the 1940s, the ostrich industry experienced a revival. At that time, Rose owned 20 percent of the approximately 20,000 ostriches in South Africa, compared to the peak of 870,000 birds in 1914.[1][10][11]
He was introduced to the British royal family during their 1947 visit to Oudtshoorn. Queen Elizabeth’s fashion interest in ostrich feathers was credited with partially reviving the feather trade.[1] Rose regained his fortune and continued to find success in ostrich farming until his death.[12][7]
Personal life and death
A lifelong bachelor, Rose lived most of his life in the Oudtshoorn region, although he often traveled to Europe on business.[7] Despite his early financial setbacks, he was widely regarded for his generosity, frequently lending money to farmers without written contracts and donating large sums annually to Zionist, Jewish, and local charities. He was known as a friend and dependable business contact for both Jews and non-Jews in Oudtshoorn.[13][1]
Rose died on August 21, 1951 and is buried in the Oudtshoorn Jewish cemetery.[1][14]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Zetler, David (25 January 2007). "The Ostrich King". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ Stein, Sarah Abrevaya (December 2007). ""Falling into Feathers": Jews and the Trans-Atlantic Ostrich Feather Trade". The Journal of Modern History. 79 (4): 772–812. doi:10.1086/521065. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Aschman, George (1955). "Oudtshoorn in the Early Days". In Saron, Gustav; Holtz, Louis (eds.). The Jews in South Africa: A History. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. pp. 121–137.
- ^ Comay, Joan; Cohn-Sherbok, Lavinia (1995). Who's Who in Jewish History: After the Period of the Old Testament (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 302.
- ^ Nixon, Rob (1998). "The Feather Palace". Transition (77): 70–85. doi:10.2307/2903201. JSTOR 2903201. Retrieved 15 July 2025. In this article, Rob Nixon explains the allure of ostrich feathers to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants to South Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- ^ a b Robins, Gwynne (August 1, 2021). "Ladismith's Jewish Community". Cape Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d Nixon, Rob (2000). Dreambirds: The Strange History of the Ostrich in Fashion, Food, and Fortune. Picador USA. pp. 68–71. ISBN 978-0-312-24540-5.
- ^ Boum, Aomar; Bonine, Michael (2015). "The Elegant Plume: Ostrich Feathers, African Commercial Networks, and European Capitalism". The Journal of North African Studies. 20 (1): 5–26. doi:10.1080/13629387.2014.983733.
- ^ Stein, Sarah Abrevaya (2008). Plumes: Ostrich Feathers, Jews, and a Lost World of Global Commerce. Yale University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-300-12736-2. JSTOR j.ctt1npx2t. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ Aschman, George (1948). "Ostrich Feather Industry in South Africa". World's Poultry Science Journal. 4 (2): 114–115. doi:10.1079/WPS19480020.
- ^ "Feather Demand: Larger Hats Due With Longer Skirts Expected to Be Tremendous Stimulus, Says Max Rose". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 75, no. 123. December 23, 1947. p. 32. ProQuest 1627245387. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "The Feather Merchants". Time. May 7, 1951. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ Coetzee, Daniel (2005). "Fires and Feathers: Acculturation, Arson and the Jewish Community in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, 1914–1948". Jewish History. 19 (2): 143–187. doi:10.1007/s10835-004-0918-5. ProQuest 763674734. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Obituary: Max Rose". The New York Times. August 22, 1951. p. 23. ProQuest 111945672. Retrieved 15 July 2025.