Silver cigarette case of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch. Long, slim, rectangular cigarette case; sterling silver. Marked: Birmingham (England) – 1933; maker's mark: FF (Frederick Field Ltd). Gilt interior; ornament on cover.

Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift... the sterling silver cigaerette case my father bought in Paris in the mid 1930's. I was with him in the store when he bought it. When he stopped smoking in the early 40's he gave it to me as a gift."

Letter of authenticity dated 5 November, 1989. Rebbe

Rayatz would smoke extensively, already in his youth and in the lifetime of his father Rebbe Rashab. The Rayatz was known to "smoke without matches" – he would light the first cigarette of a new packet with the last cigarette of the previous packet – without using a new match. During the Rayatz's imprisonment in the Soviet prison in 1927, for lack of paper, he would write Torah novellae on his cigarette stubs. In the final decade of his life, the Rayatz stopped smoking entirely, due to his ill health, and he also strictly forbade smoking amongst the students of the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva.

Approx. 5X17 cm. Good condition. Minor blemishes.

PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.