Auction 59 · Lot 1
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AUCTION 59 - JUNE 20TH 2013
Kestenbaum & Company
Auctions Fine Judaica:
Ceremonial Objects
and Works of Art
Thursday, June 20th
Six months ago Kestenbaum & Company conducted its first auction exclusively devoted to Judaic Ceremonial Art. This was the exceptional collection of objects consigned by the Jewish Historical Society of England. Encouraged by the tremendous response received, the company focused its June 20th Fine Judaica auction on Judaic ceremonial and related objects as well as a variety of Jewish fine and folk art.
The 257-lot auction appealed to a broad cross-section of buyers with many collecting categories represented in a wide range of price points. Among the silver Ceremonial Objects, bidders found favor with many of the Spice Towers. A Ukranian/Polish silver spice tower, c. 1820, brought in $15,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $6,000-8,000 (Lot 12); a tall 18th century German silver filigree spice tower, sold for $15,000 (Lot 14); and an 18th century Austrian silver-gilt spice container, estimated at $6,000-8,000, garnered $10,500 after competitive bidding (Lot 15).
Further silver highlights included a Galician silver-gilt Kiddush goblet, early 18th century, which earned $10,000, an Austrian silver Megillah-case, Graz, c. 1780, which attained $8,500 (Lot 80) and a silver-gilt Ilya Schor pendant/brooch, which was purchased for $4,300 (Lot 152). A rare, finely engraved, Estonian silver Torah shield was another auction highlight, realizing $26,000 (Lot 108).
Standouts within the section of Chanukah Lamps included a sofa-style German silver menorah, 18th century, which reached $12,000 (Lot 43) and a German silver menorah, c. 1800, consigned by the Jewish Historical Society of England, which garnered $5,000 (Lot 42). Another Chanukah-related item of note was a Ludwig Wolpert silver dreidel which reached $950, topping its pre-auction estimate of $700-900 (Lot 60).
A section of objects from the Bezalel School of Art included an important Boris Schatz ivory plaque in its original brass frame, Jerusalem, c. 1906, which sold for $16,000 (Lot 131). Also evoking enthusiastic bidding was a Bezalel decorated brass shell-case vase. Estimated at $700-1,000, it ultimately fetched $2,200 (Lot 137).
Within the Works of Art section of the auction were a number of Marriage Contracts (Ketuboth) that performed strongly. Of particular significance was the earliest recorded Kethubah from Hebron, 1870, which elicited spirited bidding and hammered down at $19,000 (Lot 171). Another Kethubah of note was an attractive Marriage Contract from Rome, 1817, which attained $7,500 (Lot 169).
The sale also included a dozen fine engravings by Ephraim Moses Lilien, each handsomely framed, which the consignor purchased directly from the artist’s sister in the 1950’s. Two works particularly favored by bidders and exceeding their pre-sale estimates included an etching of Yemenite Scholars, 1915, which earned $3,200 (Lot 211) and an etching of an Elderly Jew, which achieved $2,600 (Lot 216). A highlight among the many paintings offered for sale was Laijos Koloszvary’s work in oil titled, The Chess Players. The painting brought in $10,000 (Lot 192). Among portfolios and artbooks, a complete set of sixteen color plates by Isidor Kaufmann, Vienna, 1925, brought in $2,500 (Lot 221).
The Graphic Arts section also drew in buyers with a section of Holocaust and World War II-related material. Of note was a poster in Polish commemorating the Third Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto which sold for $2,500 (Lot 225), a Nazi propaganda poster from Munich, 1942, realized $4,250 (Lot 233) and a poster issued by the Central Historical Commission of Liberated Jews, Munich, c. 1945, which earned $1,800 (Lot 227). Also important was a suite of 40 paintings by the Polish artist Jozef Kaliszan entitled, The Warsaw Ghetto, produced in Poznan in 1966, which was purchased for $11,000 (Lot 234).Â
Kestenbaum & Company’s forthcoming auction of Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters, Ceremonial Objects and Graphic Art will be held Fall, 2013.
Lots in this auction
Browse all 257 lots →
Auction 59 · Lot 2
Comprised of architectural arches and fluted ionic columns, featuring four enamel portraits of King Solomon. Marked by Izzy Landau. Height: 4 inches.
Hammer price $4,000
Auction 59 · Lot 3
Upper register lyrically engraved with floral and foliate elements. Marked. Height: 3 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 4
Campana-shaped bowl engraved with recurring rosettes within cartouches, set on circular base. Marked. Height: 4 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 5
Of simple form, engraved in Hebrew:”From the household of Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira.” Height: 3 inches.
Hammer price $300
Auction 59 · Lot 6
Campana-shaped bowl with four later enamel painted panels featuring scenes of Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Sukoth and Passover. Marked. Height: 5 inches.
Hammer price $2,500
Auction 59 · Lot 7
Octagonal bowl decorated with ornamental themes, on knob stem and matching circular domed base. Engraved in Hebrew along rim. Marked. Height: 4 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 8
Octagonal bowl decorated with scroll and floral motif, on knob stem and matching circular domed base. Engraved in Hebrew along rim (Exodus 6:7). Master: I.C. Bertholt. Marked. Height: 4.5 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 9
Hexagonal bowl decorated with floral and fruit motif in repoussé, on knob stem and matching hexagonal domed base. Marked. Height: 4.5 inches.
Hammer price $10,000
Auction 59 · Lot 10
Exquisitely engraved in typical Safed fashion with Holy Land sights. Polish marks. Height: 1.75 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 11
Uniform octagonal bowls decorated with scroll and shell motif, on knob stems and matching circular domed bases. Marked. Height: 5.5 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 12
UKRANIAN/POLISH SILVER SPICE TOWER.
Hammer price $15,000
Auction 59 · Lot 13
Single tier tower, engraved on four sides with animal representions. Set on knop stem and matching square base. Marked. Height: 4.5 inches.
Hammer price $6,500
Auction 59 · Lot 14
Four graduating rectangular tiers with filigree ball and flag finial in the form of a deer. Matching filigree square base, set on ball and claw feet. Single bell in belfry section and circled at base by four pennants. Hinged door. Height: 13.5 inches.
Hammer price $15,000
Auction 59 · Lot 15
Pear shaped container, floral and foliate patterning throughout. Flowering stalk, attendant peacock. Set on leafy base. Height: 5 inches.
Hammer price $10,500
Auction 59 · Lot 16
Tubular container with paired open-windows, and hinged door with locking device. Hebrew letters “Besamim” above. Domed base with circular supports. Height: 7 inches.
Hammer price $750
Auction 59 · Lot 17
Pierced rectangular container with corner flags (lacking one), conical steeple and flag finial. Hinged door. The whole set on circular base. Marked. Height: 10.5 inches.
Hammer price $1,200
Auction 59 · Lot 18
Rectangular container with steeple set above with double flower-head surmounted by pennant. Set on four wire supports. Hinged door. Marked. Height: 7.5 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 19
Small rectangular castle-like container with open steeple and flag finial, set on plain tubular stem and square base. Hinged door. Marked. Height: 4.5 inches.
Hammer price $1,300
Auction 59 · Lot 20
Of classic form, rectangular container pierced and chased with turrets and flags on four corners, conical steeple and flag finial. Hinged door. The whole set on square base. Marked. Height: 10 inches.
Hammer price $1,000
Auction 59 · Lot 21
Of castle form. Hinged door. Height: 7.5 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 22
Octagonal spice chamber comprised of filigree panels with hinged door; rounded steeple and pennant finial set on knop stem and octagonal base. Marked. Height: 8.5 inches.
Auction 59 · Lot 23
Large sunflower realistically wrought, chased and pierced on leafy stalk with smaller flowers around, set on a circular dish with foliate border. Marked. Height: 8.5 inches.
Hammer price $2,500
Auction 59 · Lot 24
Pomegranate-shaped. With hollow-branch attached above, decorated with tendrils and acorns. Set on detachable leafy base. Height: 6.5 inches.
Hammer price $350