Tea tin of Rebbe Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn – the Rashab of Lubavitch.
Tin box, made by the famous Russian tea producer Alexei Gubkin's successor A. Kuznetsov and Co. – Преемник Алексея Губкина А. Кузнецов и Ко.
Manufacturer's details (in Russian) inside lid. Lock on the front of the box (with key). Moscow, late 19th or early 20th century.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch: "I hereby gift… my grandfather – the Rashab's Russian tea tin holder made by Gubkin. He kept tea in it. He used it both in Lubavitch and Rostov. My grandmother gave it to me as a gift after he passed away". Dated – 14th February 1990. The tin is placed in a small leather suitcase, which was presumably also used by the rebbe or his family (the suitcase was given together with the tea tin, but is not mentioned in the letter of authenticity).
Approx. 9X9X9 cm. Good-fair condition. Abrasions. Stains. Lock broken; lid doesn't open. Enclosed suitcase broken and damaged.

Copper kettle used by Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rayatz of Lubavitch, and his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, from their wedding on 13th Elul 1897 until they left Russia for Riga, Latvia in Tishrei 1927. The kettle was purchased by rebbe Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn, the Rashab of Lubavitch, during one of his visits in Paris, given to his son and daughter-in-law as wedding gift.
Large, copper kettle. With a handle and a long spout. Ca. late 19th century.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch: "I hereby gift... the copper kettle my parents used in Lubavitch from when they got married until leaving Russia. In Latvia my mother bought a new one. This Pot made of copper my grandfather bought it in Paris and gave it to my parents when they got married. It has a dovetail construction - that is the type of construction of the pot. This is what my father explained to me and not sure what it exactly means". Dated – 10th December 1989.

Rebbe Rashab's Trips to France
Rebbe Rashab was frail and sickly, and frequently travelled to various health spas in Europe, to consult with specialists. He took advantage of these trips to do his upmost to improve the material and spiritual situation of his Jewish brethren, particularly of Russian Jews. His travels took him to France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Czechoslovakia, the Crimean Peninsula, and more. The Rashab's various trips to France are well documented in his letters. His first trip was to Paris in winter 1883, approximately a year after the passing of his father Rebbe Maharash and his appointment as rebbe. The visit lasted almost an entire year. He thereafter paid many visits to France (in 1885-1888, 1901, 1904, 1911-1914), some for extended periods of time. On most of his trips, he either passed through or stayed in Paris. According to the enclosed letter, Rebbe Rashab bought the present kettle during one of these visits to Paris.
For one hundred and two years (1813-1915), Chabad Chassidut was centered in the town of Lubavitch, Belarus. In 1915, during WWI, Rebbe Rashab fled Lubavitch and settled in Rostov-on-Don, in south-western Russia. In these difficult times, Rebbe Rashab devotedly worked on improving the spiritual and material state of Russian Jewry. On 2nd Nissan 1920, Rebbe Rashab passed away, and was succeeded by his only son, Rebbe Rayatz. In 1924, after repeated persecutions by the authorities, Rebbe Rayatz left Rostov-on-Don and moved to Leningrad (St. Petersburg). In 1927 he was arrested and imprisoned by the Soviet authorities for his religious activities, and following his release on 12th-13th Tammuz, he left Leningrad with part of his family, eventually settling in Riga, Latvia. Rebbe Rayatz arrived in Riga on 25th Tishrei 1927 and resided there for six years, until 1933.
According to the enclosed letter, the present kettle served Rebbe Rayatz and his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina for close to thirty years, from their wedding in 1897 until they reached Riga in 1927 – while living in Lubavitch, Rostov and Leningrad.

Maximal size (without handle and spout): approx. 28X25 cm. Good condition. Minor bends and defects.

Ten-dollar bill which Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rayatz of Lubavitch, gave as Matanot LaEvyonim several days after his arrival in the United States, on Purim 1940.
The bill was issued in 1933 (using the same paper stock as the 1929 bank notes) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (in 1933, at the nadir of the Great Depression, which caused thousands of banks throughout the continent to go bankrupt and close down, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered a huge infusion of cash into the American economy, in effort to restore the public confidence in the nation's financial system. These banknotes were issued by 12 branches of the Federal Bank – the Federal Reserve or "Fed" for short).
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch: "I hereby gift... the 10 Dollar Federal Reserve bill that my father gave me on Purim 1940 just a few days after we arrived. At the Greystone hotel there weren't any poor people. He wanted that I should go outside and find poor people and give them matanos leaniyim. I redeemed the money and saved this 10 Dollar bill". Dated – 12th November 1989.

Purim 1940
Rebbe Rayatz succeeded his father the Rashab as rebbe of Lubavitch after the latter's passing in 1920, devotedly leading the Chabad movement even after the communist revolution and under increasingly difficult conditions of religious persecution. In 1927, the Rayatz moved to Riga, and in 1933, he settled in Warsaw and later Otwosk (Otwock). In 1939, with the outbreak of WWII, Rebbe Rayatz, his mother Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina and his daughter Rebbetzin Chana and her husband, R. Shemaryahu Gurary were stranded in Warsaw under German occupation, their lives in great danger. During these perilous times, the Rayatz was forced to flee from house to house, seeking shelter from the bombings, and rumors spread that he was caught and executed by the Germans. After the intervention of the US government, and with the assistance of several German officers, the Rayatz succeeded in fleeing Warsaw, together with an entourage of about 20 family members and friends. After several months of travail and wandering, they left occupied Europe in Adar I, 1940 and sailed to the US.
On Monday, 8th Adar II 1940, after sailing the seas for 12 days, Rebbe Rayatz arrived to New York. On 9th Adar II, following a short reception at the port, the Rayatz arrived at his temporary quarters – Room 609 at the Greystone Hotel on Broadway and 91st Street in Manhattan NY.
According to the enclosed letter, Rebbe Rayatfz gave this ten-dollar bill to his daughter Rebbetzin Chana Gurary on Purim 1940, several days after he reached the United States, so that she gives it as Matanot LaEvyonim (Rebbetzin Chana kept the bill she received from her father, and gave a different bill to charity instead).

Fair condition. Folding marks, creases and extensive wear.

Footstool of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rayatz of Lubavitch.
Small, low wooden stool. Fine needlepoint upholstery; four legs.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by R. Shalom Dov Ber (Barry) Gurary (1923-2005), only grandson of Rebbe Rayatz (son of his daughter Rebbetzin Chana Gurary and her husband R. Shemaryahu Gurary – the Rashag); "I hereby gift… the footstool which my grandfather used at the desk in his bedroom from 1940-1950. This needlepoint made footstool was a gift that he received from Mrs. Sylvia Kramer – wife of Sam Kramer upon his arrival to the United States in March of 1940". Dated – 29th January 1989.

The Rayatz's Arrival in the United States
In 1939, with the outbreak of WWII, Rebbe Rayatz, his mother Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina and his daughter Rebbetzin Chana and her husband, R. Shemaryahu Gurary were stranded in Warsaw under German occupation, their lives in great danger. During these perilous times, the Rayatz was forced to flee from house to house, seeking shelter from the bombings, and rumors spread that he was caught and executed by the Germans. After the intervention of the US government, and with the assistance of several German officers, the Rayatz succeeded in fleeing Warsaw, together with an entourage of about 20 family members and friends. After several months of travail and wandering, on Tuesday 9th Adar II 1940, the Rayatz and his entourage reached the shores of America. Following a short reception at the port, the Rayatz arrived at his temporary quarters – the Greystone Hotel on Broadway and 91st Street in Manhattan NY.
Some six months later, the Rayatz and his family settled in their permanent quarters, 770 Eastern Parkway, in the center of the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. The official dedication ceremony (Chanukat Habayit), which took place on 21st Elul 1940, was attended by the Rayatz and a large group of his Chassidim.
The building at 770 Eastern Parkway had three floors and a basement. The first floor housed the synagogue, the Beit Midrash and the offices. The Rayatz lived on the second floor which also housed his study and the quarters of his mother, Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah. His daughter Rebbetzin Chana and her husband, R. Shemaryahu Gurary lived on the third floor, which also housed the latter's study and the offices of the Central Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva which he managed. The basement was primarily used to house the library. An elevator was installed in the building (rare in those days) and a large yard surrounded the building.
The right-hand room in the front of the second floor of 770 was designated as the Rayatz's study, used for private audiences and meetings. From this room, the Rayatz directed the Chabad Chassidut since his arrival in the United Sates. Adjoining it was the Rayatz's bedroom. According to the enclosed letter, immediately after his arrival in the United States in Adar 1940, the rebbe received the present footstool as a gift from Mrs. Sylvia Kramer, who embroidered it herself. The Rayatz used the footstool by the desk in his bedroom for ten years, until his passing on Yud Shevat 1950.

Mrs. Tzivia (Sylvia) Kramer (ca. 1903 – 26th Tevet 1995), née Levine, wife of attorney Sam Kramer (1895-1986), who played an important role in establishing the Chabad Chassidut in the United States and funding its activities. Mr. Kramer was a member of the executive committee, board member and legal adviser of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in America. He helped fund the publication of the Chabad Bulletin (first Chabad organ, published in 1935-1939), lobbied for the release of the Rayatz from Soviet incarceration in 1927, and helped rescue him from occupied Warsaw and bring him to the United States.

Approx. 23X17 cm. Good condition.

Ear trumpet used by Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rayatz of Lubavitch, to talk to his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, who suffered from hearing loss.
Ear trumpet – fabric-covered rubber tube, with a mouthpiece at one end which the speaker puts to his mouth, and an earpiece at the other, which the listener holds to his ear; made from Bakelite (the device acts as a kind of funnel that collects the sound waves and directs them into the ear).
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz and Rebbetzin Nechama Dina: "I hereby gift... the ear bell shaped device to help my mother hear. During my mother's pregnancy with my youngest sister Shaina (Sonia) she lost her hearing. At the beginning, she still heard a little. My father would talk into the device and the other side went into her ear. Later she became completely deaf. This device was how my father spoke to her in the first stage [of her hearing loss]". Dated – 12th February 1989.

Rebbetzin Nechama Dina's Hearing Loss
In a video interview held in 1997, the grandson of Rebbe Rayatz, R. Shalom Dov Ber (Barry) Gurary relates how he met his wife Rebbetzin Mina (née Haskind), after they came to the United States in 1940: "I met Mina… soon after we came to the United States. She probably was at the dock to welcome us. But then, when I – we were at the Hotel Greystone, grandmother needed lots of help. My grandmother was totally deaf. She had become deaf during the birth of her last child. So, so she really needed help in terms of doing things. And my mother needed help. And Mina was always willing to give it. And she also helped me to get acquainted with America, like helping me visit the World fair in 1940, and various other things".
(Another version connects Rebbetzin Nechama Dina's hearing loss to an affair which took place in Lubavitch in the spring and summer of 1906 – known as the "1906 pogroms". A student in the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva in Lubavitch became connected with the Poalei Zion Zionist-Socialist movement in the town. The Rayatz, then director of the yeshiva, decided to lock the student in a room in the courtyard until his father would come to bring him home. In response, his comrades burst into the rebbe's court armed with pistols, demanding his immediate release. A great commotion ensued, and several shots were fired. Although no one was hurt, Rebbetzin Nechama Dina was deeply traumatized, and suffered from severe shock which led to gradual hearing loss. Concerned for their safety, the Rayatz and Rebbetzin Nechama Dina were compelled to flee until the danger had passed).
In Igrot of Rebbe Rashab, there are many mentions of the hearing difficulties of Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, his daughter-in-law, as well as various recommendations for medical treatment, doctors and experts, etc. In his letter from 8th Adar 1904, a month and a half after the birth of his granddaughter Shaina (21st Tevet 1904), the Rashab quotes various medical recommendations for the treatment of the vertigo Rebbetzin Nechama Dina was suffering from. Other mentions, pertaining to medical examinations and the various medication prescribed by doctors, are found in the letters from summer 1906, during the "1906 pogroms" (letters 928, 936, 938, 940, 941, 945), as well as in his letters from 1910-1913 (letters 208, 245, 247, 248, 250, 251, 291, 324, 360, 364, 1221-1224).
In his letter from 15th Elul 1910, the Rashab recommends buying her a hearing aid in Russia, assuming they are superior to those being sold in other countries (letter 1232).
Years later, on 2nd Tammuz 1939, the Rayatz asked R. Eliyahu Simpson in the United States to send him material about electronic hearing aids (Chasid Ne'eman, p. 262). According to the enclosed letter, the present ear trumpet was used by Rebbe Rayatz to speak to his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, in the early stages of her hearing loss, before she became totally deaf.

Length: approx. 36 cm. Good condition. Tears and wear to fabric.