Auction 046 Special Chabad Auction in Honor of 11th Nisan - Birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and in Honor of Pesach
Nine Handkerchiefs of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch.
The letter S (for "Schneersohn") is embroidered in the corner of each handkerchief, surrounded by vegetal and floral ornaments in different patterns and colors.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… a group of handkerchiefs used by my father with the S logo". Dated - February 12, 1990.
Approx. 30X30 to 39X39 cm. Good condition. Stains.
Celluloid hand mirror, used by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… the celluloid mirror used by my father from the time he was at the Greystone hotel until the end of his life. Before he allowed himself to be photographed by my son he always checked his appearance with this mirror". Dated - February 25, 1990. A wooden box which may have also been used by the Rebbe or his family is enclosed (the box was given together with the mirror, though it is not mentioned in the letter).
In one of his letters, R. Shalom Dovber (Barry) Gurary, only grandson of the Rebbe Rayatz (son of his daughter, Rebbetzin Chana), writes about a camera he received from his grandfather, the Rayatz: "When we arrived to America in 1941 [i.e., 1940], my grandfather... bought for me a... camera. With it I took many important photos of my grandfather writing letters and correspondence. My grandfather even put on his Shabbos clothing so I could photograph him. At one point the camera jammed and I said a Russian word which was slang and my grandfather laughed and just then the photo snapped". According to the enclosed letter of authenticity, Rebbe Rayatz used the present hand mirror to inspect his appearance before having his picture taken. The mirror was in his possession from his stay in the Greystone Hotel, to his passing on Shevat, 1950.
From the Greystone Hotel in Manhattan to "770" in Brooklyn
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. After several months of travail and wandering, the rebbe and his entourage reached the United States on Tuesday 9th Adar II, 1940. 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 New York.
About half a year later, the Rayatz and his entourage moved to 770 Eastern Parkway, in the center of the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. From his home at 770, the Rayatz reestablished the Chabad Chassidic court and its institutes. There he met community leaders and activists, held private audiences ("Yechidus") with Chassidim, wrote letters to all parts of the world, and worked unceasingly to strengthen and support Judaism and the Chassidut. The Rayatz continued his activities for ten years until his passing on 10th Shevat, 1950.
Maximum size: 29 cm approx. Good condition. Minor blemishes.
Five sets, containing dozens of diverse drafting and measuring tools, placed in original cases. Made by different firms in Germany and the USA: E. O. Richter., Eugene Dietzgen, Keuffel & Esser, and Tower – [ca. 1920s-1940s]. T
he sets include various drafting tools, which were used by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the future Lubavitcher Rebbe), while he was studying electrical engineering in Paris, and later, while working as an electrical engineer on American Navy ships in New York.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by the Rebbes nephew, R. Shalom Dovber (Barry) Gurary (1923-2005), the only grandson of Rebbe Rayatz (son of his daughter, Rebbetzin Chana, and her husband, R. Shemaryahu Gurary – the Rashag): "I hereby gift… the drafting tools sets my uncle used in Paris and New York. He gave it to me after his father passed away and he gave up his Job as an electrical engineer. I spent hours watching him use these drafting tools and was fascinated by it". Dated – January 30, 1991.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the future Lubavitcher Rebbe), began his studies in the local gymnasium and university of his native town, Yekaterinoslav [today Dnipro, Ukraine], and later took courses in the shipbuilding department of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. During his time in Berlin (1927-1933), he attended lectures in philosophy and mathematics in the Friedrich Wilhelm University (today, the Humboldt University), while at the same time studying at the Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary (Rabbiner-Seminar zu Berlin). Following the Nazi seizure of control in Germany, he moved to Paris, where he studied at the ESTP (École Spéciale des Travaux Publics), taking courses in geometry, infinitesimal calculus, chemistry, physics, mathematics, electricity and design; he received his mechanical and electrical engineering diploma in 1938. In the month of Sivan, 1941, the Rebbe managed to escape Europe. He immigrated to the USA and settled in the court of his father-in-law, the Rebbe Rayatz, located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY. During his early years in the USA, parallel to his work in the official Chabad institutes, the future Lubavitcher Rebbe was employed as an electrical engineer by the American Navy in New York. According to the enclosed letter of authenticity, signed by the Rebbe's nephew, R. Barry Gurary, the present drafting tools were used by the Lubavitcher Rebbe during his studies in Paris, and later on, while he was employed by the American Navy in New York. [After the Rebbe discontinued his work as engineer, these drafting and measuring tools were passed on to his nephew, Barry Gurary, who may have used them in his own scientific work.]
Size and condition vary.
Cast brass inkwell stand, with a ceramic inkwell; Art Nouveau style, decorated with foliate and geometric designs. Inscribed on bottom: "D.L. [Déposé] / N=49" – [presumably France, 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: "I hereby gift… the inkwell used by my grandmother Sterna Sarah, from the time we were in Lubavitch until we left Europe I always saw this inkwell on her desk". Dated - November 12, 1989. A wooden box is enclosed (the box was given together with the inkwell, though it is not mentioned in the letter).
Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah Schneersohn, wife of Rebbe Rashab and mother of Rebbe Rayatz. Born in 1860 to Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak of Ovruch, son of the Tzemach Tzedek. Her mother was the daughter of R. Yaakov Yisrael of Cherkasy, son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe.
In 1865, she became engaged to the Rashab. The betrothal was celebrated in the home of the Tzemach Tzedek (the groom and bride were both five years old). The couple were wed ten years later, in 1875.
She stood beside her husband and assisted him in all communal matters. She was very active in supporting the Tomchei Tmimim yeshiva, and established an international women's organization in support of the students of the boys' schools of Lubavitch. In 1940, she escaped occupied Warsaw to the United States together with her only son, Rebbe Rayatz. She passed away on 13th Shevat, 1942, and was buried in New York. The Beit Sarah network of girls' schools was named after her.
Ink stand: maximum size approx. 14X9X13.5 cm. Inkwell: 4X3.5 cm. Good condition. Minor blemishes. PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Hat worn by Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, mother of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Black hat, with velvet ribbon. Made by Mitseré, USA, ca. 1940s.
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 Mitseré French hat worn by my brother-in-law's mother. When my sister and daughter-in-law cleaned out her apartment after she passed away my sister gave me the hat. I wore it a few times in the 1960's". Dated – December 3, 1989.
There are several pictures of Rebbetzin Chana Schneersohn, dating to the 1940s-1950s, where she is seen wearing a dark-colored hat, similar in shape and style to the present hat.
Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson (1880-1964), mother of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and daughter of the Rabbi of Mykolaiv (Ukraine), R. Meir Shlomo and his wife, Rebbetzin Rachel Yanovsky. Married R. Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, and with utmost devotion joined him in fearlessly spreading Judaism under communist rule, first in Ekaterinoslav and later in his exile to Chiali, Kazakhstan. During this time, she produced ink from weeds, to enable her husband to write his Torah novellae, and later risked her life by carrying his writings while traveling from place to place. These writings were later printed in his series of books Likutei Levi Yitzchak on the Zohar.
R. Levi Yitzchak passed away in Alma-Ata (Almaty), Kazakhstan in 1944. In 1946, Rebbetzin Chana crossed the Russian border to Poland, and reached Paris in Adar 1947. Upon hearing the news of his mother's arrival in Paris, her son, Rebbe Menachem Mendel, who was already living in Brooklyn, immediately boarded a plane to meet his mother, who had been confined behind the Iron Curtain and whom he had not seen for 20 years. The Rebbe stayed in Paris for three months to arrange all the necessary authorizations for her immigration to the United States and in Sivan, embarked with his mother on a ship to the US.
After her arrival in the United States, Rebbetzin Chana lived near her son and near 770, on the corner of President St. and Kingstone St. no. 1418 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. Some three years later, the Rayatz passed away and her son Rabbi Menachem Mendel became the Rebbe of Chabad.
Rebbetzin Chana was very involved in the lives of the Chassidim and in the various Chabad activities and served on the board of Chabad women's organization in the United States. She passed away on Shabbat, 6th Tishrei 1964, and is buried near the Rayatz and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Beit Chana network of girls' schools was named after her.
Approx. 22 cm. Good condition. Stains and minor blemishes.
Two pairs of button-shaped, Clip-On, jet earrings – one larger and the other smaller; with metal clips.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift... the jet black earrings my sister and I wore in the 1950's - 1960's. We wore a small jet black pair in the 1920's. The larger ones came back into stile[!] in the 50's-60's". Dated - December 3, 1989.
A photograph of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka dating to the 1920s (before her wedding), depicts her wearing a pair of black earrings similar in shape and style to the present jet earrings.
Large earrings' diameter: approx. 3.5 cm.; Small earrings' diameter: approx. 2 cm. Good condition. Clasps detached, or partially detached.