Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Displaying 13 - 19 of 19
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $3,000
Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000
Sold for: $3,750
Including buyer's premium
Seven brass and wooden seals. Romania, Hungary and other places in Europe, [19th and early 20th centuries].
1. Brass seal of the Chevrat Tehillim in Yas (Iași), Romania, 5623 (1862/3). Engraved (Hebrew): "Seal of the Chevrat Tehillim of the Wooden Bridge Beit Midrash in Yas… David, King of Israel Lives Forever", with chronogram for the year 5623.
Diameter: 3.5 cm. Height: 3 cm. Good condition. Break to handle.
2. Brass seal of the Chevra Kaddisha in Raab (Győr), Hungary. [19th or early 20th century]. Engraved (Yiddish): "Raab and Raabsziget Chevra Kaddisha".
Diameter: approx. 4.5 cm. Good condition. Lacking part of handle.
3. Brass seal. Engraved (Hebrew): "Chaim Pinchas son of R. Moshe HaKohen, posek".
Diameter: 3 cm. Height: 2.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Corrosion. Lacking part of handle.
4. Square brass seal with carved wooden handle. Engraved (Hebrew, in cursive script): "… Yeshaya Doctorowitz".
Seal: 1.5X1.5 cm. Height: 6 cm. Good condition. Minor defects.
5. Oval-shaped brass seal with carved wooden handle. Engraved (Hebrew, in cursive script): "Eli. Kohen Berman [Hebrew] – E. Berman".
Maximum diameter: 2.5 cm. Height: 8 cm. Good condition. Seal worn.
6. Brass seal. Engraved: "Mordechai son of R. R. Meyer [Hebrew] – MM".
Diameter: 2 cm. Height: approx. 2.5 m. Good condition.
7. Brass seal. Engraved: "Netanel son of R. Aron [Hebrew] – NA".
Diameter: 1.5 cm. Height: 3.5 cm. Good condition.
1. Brass seal of the Chevrat Tehillim in Yas (Iași), Romania, 5623 (1862/3). Engraved (Hebrew): "Seal of the Chevrat Tehillim of the Wooden Bridge Beit Midrash in Yas… David, King of Israel Lives Forever", with chronogram for the year 5623.
Diameter: 3.5 cm. Height: 3 cm. Good condition. Break to handle.
2. Brass seal of the Chevra Kaddisha in Raab (Győr), Hungary. [19th or early 20th century]. Engraved (Yiddish): "Raab and Raabsziget Chevra Kaddisha".
Diameter: approx. 4.5 cm. Good condition. Lacking part of handle.
3. Brass seal. Engraved (Hebrew): "Chaim Pinchas son of R. Moshe HaKohen, posek".
Diameter: 3 cm. Height: 2.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Corrosion. Lacking part of handle.
4. Square brass seal with carved wooden handle. Engraved (Hebrew, in cursive script): "… Yeshaya Doctorowitz".
Seal: 1.5X1.5 cm. Height: 6 cm. Good condition. Minor defects.
5. Oval-shaped brass seal with carved wooden handle. Engraved (Hebrew, in cursive script): "Eli. Kohen Berman [Hebrew] – E. Berman".
Maximum diameter: 2.5 cm. Height: 8 cm. Good condition. Seal worn.
6. Brass seal. Engraved: "Mordechai son of R. R. Meyer [Hebrew] – MM".
Diameter: 2 cm. Height: approx. 2.5 m. Good condition.
7. Brass seal. Engraved: "Netanel son of R. Aron [Hebrew] – NA".
Diameter: 1.5 cm. Height: 3.5 cm. Good condition.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $1,000
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000
Unsold
Silver pseudo-coin (medal imitating an ancient Hebrew coin), "The Holy City of Jerusalem / King David and His Son King Solomon." [Europe (Hamburg?), 16th century?].
Silver. Diameter: 23 mm.
One side of the "coin" features an old city wall with three turrets and a gate, along with an inscription in square Hebrew script: "Jerusalem / the Holy City"; the other side bears the (Hebrew) inscription: "King David / and His Son / King Solomon." The design of this medal follows the Talmudic teaching: "What is the coin of ancient Jerusalem? The names David and Solomon on one side, and Jerusalem the Holy City on the other side" (BT Baba Kama 97b).
Similar coins – differing in how the lines break in the inscription "King David and His Son King Solomon" – were documented in an article by Mordechai Narkiss (in Hebrew) titled "Imaginary Hebrew Coins" published in the journal "Mizrah U-Ma'arav" (Vol. II, Issue no. 2, 1928). In this article, Narkiss points out that "as early as the 13th century, among Spanish [Sephardi] Jews, the [image of the] triple-turreted tower was accepted as a customary symbol representing Jerusalem. The seal of Todros Ha-Levi from the 14th century and the seal of the Jewish community of Seville from the 13th century are evidence of this." The triple-turreted tower is also reminiscent of the emblem of the City of Hamburg, and this particular coin may have in fact been minted there, since Hamburg was one of the main places where Jewish pseudo-coins were produced.
An engraving depicting a similar coin appears in a book authored by the Protestant theologian Kaspar Waser (1565-1625) titled "Antiquis Numis Hebraeorum, Chaldaeorum et Syrorum" ["Ancient Hebrew, Chaldean, and Syrian Coins"] published in 1605 (p. 72).
An identical pseudo-coin can be found in the Israel Museum Collection (Item No. 71.00432).
Pseudo-coins designed based on ancient Jewish sources, the Talmud, and Midrashic texts, began to appear in Europe in the 15th century. In addition to the present coin, for instance, we know of a pseudo-coin bearing the image of the Patriarch Abraham, based on a passage from the same page of the Babylonian Talmud (Baba Kama 97b) as the present coin: "What is the coin of our forefather Abraham? An elderly man and elderly woman on one side, and a young man and a young woman on the other side." We also know of such coins dedicated to Joshua bin Nun, Esther and Mordechai, and other ancient and/or biblical Jewish heroes. See: Ya'akov Meshorer, "The Third Side of the Coin, " Hebrew, pp. 103-108 (the present coin is featured on p. 104).
The most common of the Jewish pseudo-coins are the so-called "false shekels". These shekel-denominated pseudo-coins began to appear in the course of the 15th century in the town of Görlitz (today in the eastern German state of Saxony). The idea of producing these coins – known as "Görlitz Shekels" – is attributed to Görlitz's mayor, Georg Emmerich, who visited the Holy Land as a pilgrim in 1465, and, upon returning to Prussia, had a replica of the tomb of Jesus, the Holy Sepulchre, built in his town. Pseudo-shekels were offered as souvenirs to the pilgrims coming to visit the replica of Holy Sepulchre, and at first were presented as replicas of one of the thirty shekel coins given to Judas Iscariot by the chief priests as payment for his betrayal of Jesus. From then on, such coins were minted – with minor alterations – first throughout the lands of the Holy Roman Empire and subsequently in additional countries, becoming equally popular among Christians and Jews.
The minters of pseudo-shekel coins in Görlitz and other places had never actually seen a real Jewish shekel coin from the time of the Great Revolt (66-70 CE), and were forced to rely on descriptions from ancient Jewish sources, as well as their own imaginations. Thus, while true ancient Jewish coins bear inscriptions in Paleo-Hebrew script, the pseudo-coins have inscriptions in modern square-script Hebrew letters, and, in general, in form and content, they are quite unlike the genuine ancient Jewish shekel coins they are modeled after. Over the years, these pseudo-coins were put to a variety of uses; among the Jews of Europe, they served to recall the mitzvah of the half-shekel coin; they were used as a form of "tzedakah" (charity) and as a means of fulfilling the mitzvah of alms for the poor on the Purim holiday; and they served as a type of amulet. They were also probably used in lieu of the five "sela'im" of silver delivered to the Kohen (priest) at traditional "Pidyon HaBen" (Redemption of the Firstborn) ceremonies.
For additional reading:
1. Ira Rezak, "The Matter of Faith: Numismatic Extrapolation of Biblical Traditions, " "Médaille, " FIDEM, Lisbon, 2013, pp. 51-58.
2. Ira Rezak, "Genuine Imitations: Jewish Use of Pseudo-Coins, " "The Israel Numismatic Journal, " 15, 2006, pp. 152-69.
Silver. Diameter: 23 mm.
One side of the "coin" features an old city wall with three turrets and a gate, along with an inscription in square Hebrew script: "Jerusalem / the Holy City"; the other side bears the (Hebrew) inscription: "King David / and His Son / King Solomon." The design of this medal follows the Talmudic teaching: "What is the coin of ancient Jerusalem? The names David and Solomon on one side, and Jerusalem the Holy City on the other side" (BT Baba Kama 97b).
Similar coins – differing in how the lines break in the inscription "King David and His Son King Solomon" – were documented in an article by Mordechai Narkiss (in Hebrew) titled "Imaginary Hebrew Coins" published in the journal "Mizrah U-Ma'arav" (Vol. II, Issue no. 2, 1928). In this article, Narkiss points out that "as early as the 13th century, among Spanish [Sephardi] Jews, the [image of the] triple-turreted tower was accepted as a customary symbol representing Jerusalem. The seal of Todros Ha-Levi from the 14th century and the seal of the Jewish community of Seville from the 13th century are evidence of this." The triple-turreted tower is also reminiscent of the emblem of the City of Hamburg, and this particular coin may have in fact been minted there, since Hamburg was one of the main places where Jewish pseudo-coins were produced.
An engraving depicting a similar coin appears in a book authored by the Protestant theologian Kaspar Waser (1565-1625) titled "Antiquis Numis Hebraeorum, Chaldaeorum et Syrorum" ["Ancient Hebrew, Chaldean, and Syrian Coins"] published in 1605 (p. 72).
An identical pseudo-coin can be found in the Israel Museum Collection (Item No. 71.00432).
Pseudo-coins designed based on ancient Jewish sources, the Talmud, and Midrashic texts, began to appear in Europe in the 15th century. In addition to the present coin, for instance, we know of a pseudo-coin bearing the image of the Patriarch Abraham, based on a passage from the same page of the Babylonian Talmud (Baba Kama 97b) as the present coin: "What is the coin of our forefather Abraham? An elderly man and elderly woman on one side, and a young man and a young woman on the other side." We also know of such coins dedicated to Joshua bin Nun, Esther and Mordechai, and other ancient and/or biblical Jewish heroes. See: Ya'akov Meshorer, "The Third Side of the Coin, " Hebrew, pp. 103-108 (the present coin is featured on p. 104).
The most common of the Jewish pseudo-coins are the so-called "false shekels". These shekel-denominated pseudo-coins began to appear in the course of the 15th century in the town of Görlitz (today in the eastern German state of Saxony). The idea of producing these coins – known as "Görlitz Shekels" – is attributed to Görlitz's mayor, Georg Emmerich, who visited the Holy Land as a pilgrim in 1465, and, upon returning to Prussia, had a replica of the tomb of Jesus, the Holy Sepulchre, built in his town. Pseudo-shekels were offered as souvenirs to the pilgrims coming to visit the replica of Holy Sepulchre, and at first were presented as replicas of one of the thirty shekel coins given to Judas Iscariot by the chief priests as payment for his betrayal of Jesus. From then on, such coins were minted – with minor alterations – first throughout the lands of the Holy Roman Empire and subsequently in additional countries, becoming equally popular among Christians and Jews.
The minters of pseudo-shekel coins in Görlitz and other places had never actually seen a real Jewish shekel coin from the time of the Great Revolt (66-70 CE), and were forced to rely on descriptions from ancient Jewish sources, as well as their own imaginations. Thus, while true ancient Jewish coins bear inscriptions in Paleo-Hebrew script, the pseudo-coins have inscriptions in modern square-script Hebrew letters, and, in general, in form and content, they are quite unlike the genuine ancient Jewish shekel coins they are modeled after. Over the years, these pseudo-coins were put to a variety of uses; among the Jews of Europe, they served to recall the mitzvah of the half-shekel coin; they were used as a form of "tzedakah" (charity) and as a means of fulfilling the mitzvah of alms for the poor on the Purim holiday; and they served as a type of amulet. They were also probably used in lieu of the five "sela'im" of silver delivered to the Kohen (priest) at traditional "Pidyon HaBen" (Redemption of the Firstborn) ceremonies.
For additional reading:
1. Ira Rezak, "The Matter of Faith: Numismatic Extrapolation of Biblical Traditions, " "Médaille, " FIDEM, Lisbon, 2013, pp. 51-58.
2. Ira Rezak, "Genuine Imitations: Jewish Use of Pseudo-Coins, " "The Israel Numismatic Journal, " 15, 2006, pp. 152-69.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $3,000
Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000
Sold for: $16,250
Including buyer's premium
Tablecloth for the Sabbath and holidays. Augsburg, Germany, 1759/60.
Printed cotton fabric; red ink.
The texts of the Kiddush for the evening meals of the Sabbath and Sabbatical holidays and the ritual of "Eruv Tavshilin" (performed when preparing a cooked food item prior to a holiday immediately followed by the Sabbath) appear at the center of the tablecloth, printed in elegant Ashkenazi script and enclosed within a decorative frame. The name of G-d is represented by a ligature, customarily used in Ashkenazi manuscripts and books. The place and date where the tablecloth was made are given in a Hebrew inscription which appears (in faded ink) outside the decorative frame: "Made in the City of Augsburg in the year ‘The Almighty illuminates my spirit to benefit the public'" [chronogram equivalent to Hebrew year 5520 = 1759/60].
Above and below the texts are images of winged putti holding flowers, and, in each of the four corners, vases filled with flowers. Geometric design at top and bottom; floral frame.
It was customary among the Jews of Germany to create elegant textiles for household use during the Sabbath and holidays. In addition to tablecloths printed and embroidered with the text of the Kiddush, we know of elegant embroidered tablecloths and towels specially made for the Passover holiday.
Tablecloths similar to the one here can be found in the collection of the Jewish Museum, New York ("Fabric of Jewish Life, " 1977 [see below], Item No. 192), and in the Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv (documented in the Bezalel Narkiss Index of Jewish Art, Item No. 39219). The date given for the items in these two collections is Hebrew year 5525 (1764/65). Another similar but undated tablecloth is found in the collection of the Jewish Museum London ("Catalog of the Jewish Museum, London, " Item No. 365). The measurements, the colors, and the decorative elements and their placement around the text – all vary to a minor extent from one tablecloth to the next: some are printed in black and others in red; on some, the putti and flowers are embellished in gold ink; and on one tablecloth, the text is encompassed by putti on all sides. On the present tablecloth, both text and decorative elements are entirely in red.
Approx. 186X103 cm. Good condition. Several dark stains. Some unraveling and small open tears (with minor damage to print). Lightly mended.
References:
1. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett and Cissy Grossman, "Fabric of Jewish Life, " The Jewish Museum, New York, 1977, p. 109.
2. R.D. Barnett, "Catalog of the Jewish Museum, London, " The Jewish Museum, London, 1974, p. 71, pl. CX.
Printed cotton fabric; red ink.
The texts of the Kiddush for the evening meals of the Sabbath and Sabbatical holidays and the ritual of "Eruv Tavshilin" (performed when preparing a cooked food item prior to a holiday immediately followed by the Sabbath) appear at the center of the tablecloth, printed in elegant Ashkenazi script and enclosed within a decorative frame. The name of G-d is represented by a ligature, customarily used in Ashkenazi manuscripts and books. The place and date where the tablecloth was made are given in a Hebrew inscription which appears (in faded ink) outside the decorative frame: "Made in the City of Augsburg in the year ‘The Almighty illuminates my spirit to benefit the public'" [chronogram equivalent to Hebrew year 5520 = 1759/60].
Above and below the texts are images of winged putti holding flowers, and, in each of the four corners, vases filled with flowers. Geometric design at top and bottom; floral frame.
It was customary among the Jews of Germany to create elegant textiles for household use during the Sabbath and holidays. In addition to tablecloths printed and embroidered with the text of the Kiddush, we know of elegant embroidered tablecloths and towels specially made for the Passover holiday.
Tablecloths similar to the one here can be found in the collection of the Jewish Museum, New York ("Fabric of Jewish Life, " 1977 [see below], Item No. 192), and in the Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv (documented in the Bezalel Narkiss Index of Jewish Art, Item No. 39219). The date given for the items in these two collections is Hebrew year 5525 (1764/65). Another similar but undated tablecloth is found in the collection of the Jewish Museum London ("Catalog of the Jewish Museum, London, " Item No. 365). The measurements, the colors, and the decorative elements and their placement around the text – all vary to a minor extent from one tablecloth to the next: some are printed in black and others in red; on some, the putti and flowers are embellished in gold ink; and on one tablecloth, the text is encompassed by putti on all sides. On the present tablecloth, both text and decorative elements are entirely in red.
Approx. 186X103 cm. Good condition. Several dark stains. Some unraveling and small open tears (with minor damage to print). Lightly mended.
References:
1. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett and Cissy Grossman, "Fabric of Jewish Life, " The Jewish Museum, New York, 1977, p. 109.
2. R.D. Barnett, "Catalog of the Jewish Museum, London, " The Jewish Museum, London, 1974, p. 71, pl. CX.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $600
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000
Sold for: $750
Including buyer's premium
Conical, pointed, gold-embroidered women's head covering ("duka"). Tunisia, [late 19th or early 20th century].
Silk and silk velvet, couched metal-cord embroidery (gold and silver), sequins.
A conical, pointed head covering made of black velvet over a card base, densely embroidered with gilt metal cord in symmetrical vegetal patterns. Sewn onto the head covering is an embroidered yellow silk scarf that hangs down over the back of the neck and back.
Paintings and photographs from the 19th and early 20th centuries – many of them appearing on postcards distributed throughout the Jewish world – show Tunisian Jewish women in various forms of dress. These pictures indicate that this particular head covering was an element of ceremonial costume, to be worn during Sabbatical holidays, Sabbaths, wedding celebrations, and other festive occasions, namely at times when women were expected to wear their best jewelry and most elegant clothing, the latter lavishly gold embroidered. The renowned French author Guy de Maupassant recalls having encountered Tunisian Jewish women during his visit to the region, roughly in 1890, and mentions their spectacular finery: "Their heads are topped by pointed headdresses that are often silver or golden […] with a scarf cascading down the back […] in their finest garments, something resembling nightgowns made of gold or silver weave […] On the Sabbath […] they receive their friends […] seated one beside the other […] covered in silks and shining fabrics…" (cited by Hagar Salamon and Esther Juhasz, "'Goddesses of Flesh and Metal': Gazes on the Tradition of Fattening Jewish Brides in Tunisia, " "Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, " Vol. 7, No. 1 [Winter 2011], pp. 1-38).
Height: 20 cm. Length of scarf: approx. 60 cm. Good-fair condition. Blemishes to embroidery, unraveled sections and tears.
For a similar head covering, see The Israel Museum Collection, Item No. B79.1012.
Enclosed: Four postcards with photographs of Tunisian Jewish women wearing the "duka" head covering. 9X14 cm. Good condition. Minor stains and blemishes.
Silk and silk velvet, couched metal-cord embroidery (gold and silver), sequins.
A conical, pointed head covering made of black velvet over a card base, densely embroidered with gilt metal cord in symmetrical vegetal patterns. Sewn onto the head covering is an embroidered yellow silk scarf that hangs down over the back of the neck and back.
Paintings and photographs from the 19th and early 20th centuries – many of them appearing on postcards distributed throughout the Jewish world – show Tunisian Jewish women in various forms of dress. These pictures indicate that this particular head covering was an element of ceremonial costume, to be worn during Sabbatical holidays, Sabbaths, wedding celebrations, and other festive occasions, namely at times when women were expected to wear their best jewelry and most elegant clothing, the latter lavishly gold embroidered. The renowned French author Guy de Maupassant recalls having encountered Tunisian Jewish women during his visit to the region, roughly in 1890, and mentions their spectacular finery: "Their heads are topped by pointed headdresses that are often silver or golden […] with a scarf cascading down the back […] in their finest garments, something resembling nightgowns made of gold or silver weave […] On the Sabbath […] they receive their friends […] seated one beside the other […] covered in silks and shining fabrics…" (cited by Hagar Salamon and Esther Juhasz, "'Goddesses of Flesh and Metal': Gazes on the Tradition of Fattening Jewish Brides in Tunisia, " "Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, " Vol. 7, No. 1 [Winter 2011], pp. 1-38).
Height: 20 cm. Length of scarf: approx. 60 cm. Good-fair condition. Blemishes to embroidery, unraveled sections and tears.
For a similar head covering, see The Israel Museum Collection, Item No. B79.1012.
Enclosed: Four postcards with photographs of Tunisian Jewish women wearing the "duka" head covering. 9X14 cm. Good condition. Minor stains and blemishes.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $1,000
Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000
Sold for: $2,750
Including buyer's premium
Pictorial rug depicting a seven-branch candelabrum and the Tablets of the Law, made at Bezalel. Jerusalem, [1906 to 1914].
Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation.
The central panel – the outline of which echoes that of the Tablets of the Law – displays an Art Nouveau-style candelabrum with intertwined branches, a familiar design by early Bezalel artists. The rug’s stylized base is decorated with Stars of David and 'Zion' monograms; the same inscription repeats in the border. The Tablets of the Law appear within the candelabrum's main shaft, with the word 'Zion' once again in the background, behind the candelabrum's branches. The entire central panel is strewn with small seven-branch candelabras. Signed "Bezalel Jerusalem" in the border.
134X105 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. Strap sewn to verso.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
Reference:
1. Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, pp. 95.
2. Gereh International Carpet and Textile Review, Issue 12, June 1997, pp. 8.
Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation.
The central panel – the outline of which echoes that of the Tablets of the Law – displays an Art Nouveau-style candelabrum with intertwined branches, a familiar design by early Bezalel artists. The rug’s stylized base is decorated with Stars of David and 'Zion' monograms; the same inscription repeats in the border. The Tablets of the Law appear within the candelabrum's main shaft, with the word 'Zion' once again in the background, behind the candelabrum's branches. The entire central panel is strewn with small seven-branch candelabras. Signed "Bezalel Jerusalem" in the border.
134X105 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. Strap sewn to verso.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
Reference:
1. Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, pp. 95.
2. Gereh International Carpet and Textile Review, Issue 12, June 1997, pp. 8.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $1,000
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000
Sold for: $2,250
Including buyer's premium
Pictorial rug depicting David's Tower, made by Marbadiah/Bezalel. [Jerusalem, 1920s.]
Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation.
Rug in bold red, ochre and black. The main central panel features a mihrab-like arched window, showing David's Tower. The arched panel border reads, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning" (Psalms 137:5; Hebrew), and at its base the words “Tower of David” in Hebrew. The rest of the panel is strewn with a repeating pattern of candelabra. The rug’s wide border displays a repetitive cartouche and floral pattern; the cartouches quote – again – the verses from Psalms 137:5-6: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." The four corners of the border contain characteristic Bezalel candelabra.
93x72 cm. Good condition. Some fading to edges. Cropped fringes. Straps sewn to the upper and lower edges on verso.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
Reference: Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, pp. 103.
Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation.
Rug in bold red, ochre and black. The main central panel features a mihrab-like arched window, showing David's Tower. The arched panel border reads, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning" (Psalms 137:5; Hebrew), and at its base the words “Tower of David” in Hebrew. The rest of the panel is strewn with a repeating pattern of candelabra. The rug’s wide border displays a repetitive cartouche and floral pattern; the cartouches quote – again – the verses from Psalms 137:5-6: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." The four corners of the border contain characteristic Bezalel candelabra.
93x72 cm. Good condition. Some fading to edges. Cropped fringes. Straps sewn to the upper and lower edges on verso.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
Reference: Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, pp. 103.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue
Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
May 24, 2022
Opening: $3,000
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000
Sold for: $8,750
Including buyer's premium
Pictorial rug with images from the Song of Songs. Made by Marbadiah/Bezalel; designed by Jacob Kantorowitz. Jerusalem, [1920s].
Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation.
The main panel displays a rich array of intertwining flora and fauna – deer, ibex, turtledoves, peacocks and cranes appear amongst vines and flowers, under a canopy of a tall palm tree bisecting a blue field, hinting at the outline of the Tablets of the Law. The main border displays peacocks and clusters of grapes. The two guard strips are inscribed with Hebrew texts, the outermost of these repeats the words "Song of Songs" whilst the inner strip recites the verse "The blossoms have appeared in the land…" from the Song of Songs. Signed (Hebrew) "Marbadiah Jerusalem".
The Marbadiah workshop was founded in 1920 as a successor to the Bezalel carpet-weaving department, which had been headed by Jacob Kantorowitz. Kantorowitz also managed Marbadiah, and designed this carpet.
135X98 cm. Good condition. Some fading. Straps sewn to upper and lower edges on verso.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
Reference: Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, pp. 88-91.
Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation.
The main panel displays a rich array of intertwining flora and fauna – deer, ibex, turtledoves, peacocks and cranes appear amongst vines and flowers, under a canopy of a tall palm tree bisecting a blue field, hinting at the outline of the Tablets of the Law. The main border displays peacocks and clusters of grapes. The two guard strips are inscribed with Hebrew texts, the outermost of these repeats the words "Song of Songs" whilst the inner strip recites the verse "The blossoms have appeared in the land…" from the Song of Songs. Signed (Hebrew) "Marbadiah Jerusalem".
The Marbadiah workshop was founded in 1920 as a successor to the Bezalel carpet-weaving department, which had been headed by Jacob Kantorowitz. Kantorowitz also managed Marbadiah, and designed this carpet.
135X98 cm. Good condition. Some fading. Straps sewn to upper and lower edges on verso.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
Reference: Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, pp. 88-91.
Category
Jewish Ceremonial Art, Carpets
Catalogue