Special Chabad Auction in Honor of Chai (18th) Elul
- (-) Remove chabad filter chabad
Silver utensil which Rebbe Dov Ber Shneuri – the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch, received from Prince Lubomirski when he settled in Lubavitch in 1813; later gifted by Rebbe Maharash to his son Rebbe Rashab on the occasion of his wedding with Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah.
Maker's mark (Thomas Jenkinson?) and English hallmarks – London, late 18th or early 19th century.
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 silver utensil to hold milk. It was given as a gift to my ancestor the Mittler Rebbe by Graf Lubermirsky when the Mittler Rebbe moved to the city of Lubavitch. My grandmother Shterna Sara told me this information. She received it with her husband the Rashab upon their marriage by the Rebbe Maharash. When my sister Mousia got married it was bitter sweet for me. She had a big wedding, mine was very small due to the circumstance of Russia at the time. My grandmother picked up on it. She gave me this milk vessel as a gift". Dated 12th September 1989.
After Liadi was destroyed during the French invasion of Russia, Rebbe Dov Ber Shneuri – the Mitteler Rebbe, who had just recently succeeded his father the Baal HaTanya as rebbe, sought a place to reestablish his court. Upon the invitation of Prince Lubomirski, member of the prominent Lubomirski Polish princely family, the Mitteler Rebbe settled in Lubavitch in 1813, and it served as center of the Chabad movement for the next one hundred and two years. The prince, who showed great sympathy to the Jews, even provided the rebbe with wood to build his home and communal buildings. The support of the Lubomirski family began already in the days of the Baal HaTanya, who settled in Liadi at the invitation of Prince Lubomirski. They were also instrumental in easing the terms of the imprisonment of the Mitteler Rebbe in 1827, and in helping rebuild Lubavitch after a fire destroyed it in the times of the Tzemach Tzedek.
The enclosed letter relates how this silver utensil was passed down through the Chabad dynasty. It was first given as a wedding gift from Rebbe Maharash to his son Rebbe Rashab in 1875, and over fifty years later, in 1929, Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah gave it to her granddaughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary.
Approx. 8.5X7X13.5 cm. Good condition. Stains and minor defects. Engraved on front ("M").
Umbrella of Rebbe Shmuel Schneersohn – Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch.
Golden silk umbrella; folding bone and wood handle, with metal clasp (decorated with foliate designs and birds).
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by his great-granddaughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… the… umbrella of the Rebbe Maharash my great-grandfather. According to what my father told me, during his trip to Paris, once it was raining very hard for a few days and the Maharash bought this very fancy umbrella. In French it was called "Ombrelle marquise"… my father told me many stories of how the Maharash did things in a very עשירות'דיקע way. This umbrella… was an example of that". Dated 17th September 1989.
Rebbe Maharash, the fourth rebbe of the Chabad dynasty, was the first Chabad rebbe to visit France. Between 1828 and 1881, the Maharash paid several visits to France, whether to stay at health spas and consult doctors or for communal matters. According to the enclosed letter, this elegant umbrella was purchased during the course of one of the visits of the Maharash to Paris.
Many testimonies are recorded of the opulence with which the Maharash conducted himself, of which this umbrella is an example.
Length: 53 cm (with handle open). Fair-poor condition. Silk canopy torn, stained and worn. Defects to handle.
Honey dish of Rebbe Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn – Rebbe Rashab of Lubavich.
Glass, with silver lid. Marked (on lid) Sheffield, England, with maker's mark – Edward & William Smith, ca. mid-19th century.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by his granddaughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… this silver and glass honey dish used by my grandfather the Rashab. The original spoon has been lost. My grandfather bought it during one of his trips abroad. It was made in England and all through the Yomim Tovim, Rosh Hashana until Hoshana Rabba, the[!] was on my grandfather's table". Dated 5th November 1989.
Enclosed is a wooden box which may have also been used by Rebbe Rashab (the box, which was given together with the honey dish, is not mentioned in the letter).
Rebbe Rashab was known as a sickly person, and he would travel frequently to various health spas in Europe, and to consult with professors. His first trip was to Paris in winter 1884, approximately a year after the passing of his father Rebbe Maharash and his appointment as rebbe. Since then, he made several trips to other countries, some which lasted for over half a year, during the course of which he delt extensively with communal matters. Amongst others, the Rashab visited France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Czechoslovakia, the Crimean Peninsula, and others. According to the enclosed letter, Rebbe Rashab bought the present honey dish on one of his visits abroad.
As mentioned in the letter, the present honey dish was placed on the table of Rebbe Rashab throughout the festivals of Tishrei, in accordance with the famous Chabad custom to dip bread in honey throughout the festivals of Tishrei, beginning from the first night of Rosh Hashana up until after Hoshana Rabba.
Height: approx. 9.5 cm. Good condition.
Silver kiddush cup used by Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn – Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, at fabrengens.
Silver cup. Hallmark of Kiev, 1892, and maker's mark - (ИЕЗ [IEZ] - Israel Eseevich Zakhoder). Ornamented with foliate designs.
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 Kiddush cup my father used in Rostov and Leningrad. He gave it to me in 1949". Dated 17th September 1989.
For one hundred and two years (1813-1915), Chabad Chassidut was centered in the town of Lubavitch, Belarus. In autumn 1915, during WWI, while the German enemy was approaching Smolensk, close to Lubavitch, Rebbe Rashab was compelled to flee together with his household the town which was home to his great-grandfather the Mitteler Rebbe since 1813. After several days of wandering, he settled in Rostov-on-Don, in south-western Russia. During this time, a civil war was raging in Russia, and Rebbe Rashab devoted himself to improving the material and spiritual state of Russian Jewry. He sent his disciples to Bukhara and Georgia, built mikvaot, aided war refugees and orphans, and made every effort to preserve the Jewish ember. On 2nd Nissan 1920, Rebbe Rashab passed away, and was succeeded by his only son, Rebbe Rayatz, who led the movement during a time of sweeping social and political changes, and amidst the religious persecution on a rise in Russia following the Communist revolution.
For eight years, Rostov served as the "capital" of Chabad Chassidut, and in the summer 1924, after repeated persecutions by the authorities, Rebbe Rayatz left the city and moved to Leningrad (presently: St. Petersburg). In Leningrad, the Rayatz continued overseeing efforts to preserve the Jewish ember throughout the Soviet Union. He set up an extensive clandestine network of Chabad Chassidim who were sent to anywhere Jews were found, to establish boys' schools and yeshivot, synagogues and mikvaot, and perform circumcisions and kosher slaughtering. The Rayatz was arrested for his activities in the middle of Sivan 1927. Upon his release on 12th-13th Tammuz, the Rayatz left Leningrad and settled in Malakhovka, a suburb of Moscow, and several months later left the Soviet Union entirely and settled in Riga, Latvia, at the end of Tishrei 1927.
Based on the enclosed letter, the present cup was used by Rebbe Rayatz for fabrengens and kiddush for twelve years, 1915-1927, during his exile in Rostov and Leningrad, in Soviet Russia.
Height: approx. 6 cm. Good condition.
Kiddush cup used by Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn – Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, at fabrengens.
Silver cup. Makers' mark, Kiev (ИЕЗ [IEZ] - Israel Eseevich Zakhoder). Decorated with vegetal motives.
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 silver Kiddush cup used by my father in Riga, Warsaw and Otwock. This cup was used by him for fabrangens". Dated 12th September 1989.
For 102 years (1813-1915), Chabad Chassidut was centered in the town of Lubavitch, Belarus. In 1915, due to the outbreak of WWI, Rebbe Rashab left Lubavitch and settled in Rostov, south-western Russia. Following his passing on 2nd Nissan 1920, his son Rebbe Rayatz succeeded him. In 1924, the Rayatz left Rostov for Leningrad, and after his release from prison on 12th-13th Tammuz 1927, he left Soviet Russia with several family members and settled in Riga, Latvia, where he remained for six years, until he moved to Warsaw in 1933. Two years later, he relocated to Otwosk (Otwock), a nearby town. Several days after the outbreak of WWII, the Rayatz returned to Warsaw, until he eventually succeeded in escaping occupied Europe, with the intervention of the American government, and set sail for America.
According to the enclosed letter, the present cup was used by Rebbe Rayatz for fabrengens and kiddush for over twelve years, 1927-1940, while in exile in Riga (Latvia), Warsaw and Otwosk (Poland).
Height: 5.5 cm. Good condition.
Pencil of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn – Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, used in the 1930s.
Mechanical pencil, 14K gold-filled. With lead.
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… a gold pencil that my father used during the 1930s". Dated 12th September 1989.
The present pencil was presumably purchased during the visit of Rebbe Rayatz to the United States in 1929-1930. As mentioned in the enclosed letter, the Rayatz used the pencil during the 1930s – while in Riga (Latvia), Warsaw and Otwosk (Poland).
For 102 years (1813-1915), Chabad Chassidut was centered in the town of Lubavitch, Belarus. In 1915, due to the outbreak of WWI, Rebbe Rashab left Lubavitch and settled in Rostov, south-western Russia. Following his passing on 2nd Nissan 1920, his son Rebbe Rayatz succeeded him. In 1924, the Rayatz left Rostov for Leningrad, and after his release from prison on 12th-13th Tammuz 1927, he left Soviet Russia with several family members and settled in Riga, Latvia, where he remained for six years, until he moved to Warsaw in 1933. Two years later, he relocated to Otwosk (Otwock), a nearby town. Several days after the outbreak of WWII, the Rayatz returned to Warsaw, until he eventually succeeded in escaping occupied Europe, with the intervention of the American government, and set sail for America.
9.5 cm. Good condition. Bend to upper part.
Small kiddush cup which Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (wife of R. Shemaryahu Gurary – the Rashag) received in her childhood as a gift from her grandfather Rebbe Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn – Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch.
Silver cup. Maker's mark and hallmark of Kiev, late 19th century. Engraved ornaments.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary, eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz and granddaughter of Rebbe Rashab: "I hereby gift… the small silver cup with a stand that my grandfather the Rashab bought for me. As a small child I once cried why do only the men make Kiddush. My grandfather bought for me and my sisters these small silver cups and he would pour from his kos into my cup and tell me to make a loud bracha". Dated 24th September 1989.
Height: 6.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor defects.
Silver vessel which Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn – Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch purchased during his trip to the United States in 1930, and gave as a gift to his daughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary.
Sterling silver, with maker's mark (Crichton Bros) – London and New York, 1920. Lacking base plate.
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 traveling sugar container made from sterling silver that my father bought in the United States during his trip in 1929-30. It was made in London by Lionel Alfred Crichton in 1920. My father gave it to me as a gift". Dated 12th September 1989.
Some two years after his release from Soviet prison and settling in Riga, Rebbe Rayatz paid a trip to the United States. The purpose of the trip, which lasted close to a year (Elul 1929 – Tammuz 1930), was to raise awareness of the plight of Soviet Jews and to encourage and strengthen Torah observance amongst American Jewry.
According to the enclosed letter, this silver dish was purchased by Rebbe Rayatz during his trip to the United States and given as a gift to his daughter Rebbetzin Chanah upon his return to Europe in Elul 1930.
Approx. 6X8X5.5 cm. Lacking base plate. Good condition.
Silver plate received by Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary from her father Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn – Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, upon his return from his visit from the United States in 1930.
Sterling silver (marked on base S. Kirk and Son). Letter G – first letter of the name Gurary engraved in center of plate.
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 S. Kirk & Son, Inc. Silver plate. It is made of sterling silver. My father bought it in the United States during his trip in 1929-30. He had it inscribed with the letter G for our family name. He gave it to me upon his return to Europe". Dated 5th November 1989.
Large wooden box enclosed, which was presumably also used by Rebbetzin Chanah (the box was given together with the plate, yet is not mentioned in the present letter).
Some two years after his release from Soviet prison and settling in Riga, Rebbe Rayatz paid a trip to the United States. The purpose of the trip, which lasted close to a year (Elul 1929 – Tammuz 1930), was to raise awareness of the plight of Soviet Jews and to encourage and strengthen Torah observance amongst American Jewry.
According to the enclosed letter, Rebbe Rayatz purchased the present silver plate during his trip to the United States and gave it as a gift to his daughter Rebbetzin Chanah upon his return to Europe in Elul 1930.
Diameter: approx. 26 cm. Good condition.
Letter of authenticity (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by her granddaughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… a hat and outfit worn by my grandmother Shterna Sarah". Dated 17th September 1989.
Fair condition. Tears and wear (extensive wear to hat).
Hamilton wristwatch (Kreisler straps), 10K white gold-filled.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by her daughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… the Hamilton watch worn by my mother in the United States". Dated 17th September 1989.
Body of watch: approx. 1.5X1 cm. Good condition. Mechanism appears to be damaged.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by her daughter Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… the jeweled clock used by my mother for many years". Dated 17th September 1989.
8.5X6 cm. Good condition. Mechanism not tested. Lacking one knob.