325-Year-Old Torah Shield Sells For $62,500 In Cedarhurst

J. Greenstein and Co., dealers of fine antique Judaica and modern Jewish art, hosted their annual Chanukah auction on December 21. A number of items fetched impressive hammer prices, including a 325-year-old Torah shield that was sold for $62,500, as well as a Venetian ketubah that fetched $23,700.

Jonathan Greenstein, president and expert-in-charge at J. Greenstein and Co., was recently featured on Good Day New York with his $1M collection of rare menorahs from Eastern Europe and Israel. He said in a comment, “I’ve auctioned items from the collections of Michael Steinhardt, Sammy Davis Jr, and Alan Dershowitz. I’ve seen some incredibly expensive examples of Jewish art pass through my auction house, but every year it never seems to get old. These objects fascinate me. It’s an honor to find their next home, whether in a museum in New York or with a private collector on the other side of the globe.”

 

A Rare and Important Parcel Gilt Torah Shield. Germany, c. 1690/1720. Hand-cut lattice work laid on gilded background. Decorated with double-headed eagle, portion plaque holder, and a crown. Marked F.H. (maker) 10.4” tall. Provenance: Parke-Bernet, February 14, 1957, lot 129, the collection of Tullio Castelbolognesi and then Sotheby’s, October 10, 1974 lot 25. $62,500.

 

An Early and Large Illuminated Ketubah. Venice, 1711. The border richly decorated with scrolling designs, birds, flowers, the mazalot, Jonah and the whale, and other period designs. Portion on upper left and smaller portion on upper right now missing. 21.3” x 31.5.” $23,700.

A Massive Sterling Silver Passover Compendium by Carmel Shabi. Jerusalem, 1994. Octagonal with the order of the Seder cut out along sides. With gilded removable dishes for the insertion of the Passover foods. 16” wide. $15,000.

A Rare and Important Gilded Silver Filigree Megillah Case with Original Megillah. Ottoman Empire, 19th century. The body is made of finely spun gilded filigree wire work. The megillah section encased in original removable cover. Topped by a crown-shaped upper portion and coral finial. 15” long. Handwritten megillah with exceptional writing and floral decorations. $16,250.

 

A Pair of Important Gilded Silver Torah Finials. Probably Germany, c. 1800. The base of each is round. Chased with c-scrolls and floral design. Engraved with former owner’s name, Yisroel Fine. Upper portion consists of a five-ribbed crown enclosing a bell, topped by bud. Engraved with a number 11 and marked with import mark. 7.4” tall. $37,500.

J. Greenstein & Company, Inc. was founded in 2004 by antique Judaica expert Jonathan Greenstein. For over 30 years, since the age of 14, Jonathan has been the “go-to guy” when it comes to authenticating antique Judaica. The gallery holds a number of Judaica auctions each year and has collectors, museums, and other institutions that purchase these ritual objects to build their collections of Jewish art. J. Greenstein & Company, Inc. Auction house is exceptionally well-respected as experts in antique Judaica and Jewish Art. Greenstein is the founder, president, and expert-in-charge at J. Greenstein and Company, Inc. in Cedarhurst, New York. It is a boutique auction house that only sells antique Jewish ritual objects also known as Judaica, as well as Jewish-themed art.

Jonathan has been featured on CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, NBC News with Chuck Scarborough, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Crain’s New York Business, the New Yorker, KTLA Television, the Atlanta Commercial Appeal, the Forward, Reform Judaism Magazine, the Observer, Art Market Magazine, the Miami Herald, Long Island Business News, the Jewish Voice, the Jewish Week, the Times of Israel, the American Bar Association Journal, the Jewish Link, Jewish Business News, the Nassau Herald, the Five Towns Jewish Times, the Huffington Post, the Robb Report, the Motley Fool, CBSNY, the Texas Jewish Herald, and many others.