Auction 104 Part 1 Rare and Important Items

Oct 21, 2025

Prices Realized

Displaying 1 - 4 of 4

Lot 16 Early Wimpel, Embroidered and Decorated – Germany, 1649

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Aharon son of Naftali. [Germany], 1649.

Silk thread embroi

Download picture

Early Wimpel, Embroidered and Decorated – Germany, 1649

10 PHOTOS

Auction 104 Part 1 Rare and Important Items Oct 21, 2025

Opening: $2,500

Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000

Sold for: $4,500

Including buyer's premium

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Aharon son of Naftali. [Germany], 1649.

Silk thread embroidery in various colors on linen.

Composed of four nearly identically-sized linen sheets sewn together. At the center, the following inscription appears:
"Aharon son of Naftali, may he grow in Torah and good deeds, born Thursday, 20th [or 28th?] Tamuz 5409".

The inscription is embroidered in pale silk threads, with most letters adorned with geometric and vegetal patterns. Surrounding the inscription are figural motifs, including various animals (deer, a stag, a bird, foxes, and unicorns), a large urn with flowers and birds, and additional floral decorations.

Height: 17 cm. Length: 296 cm. Overall good condition. Stains. Creases, primarily at beginning and end.

Provenance: Acquired from the collection of Sir Isaac Wolfson, Heichal Shlomo Museum, no. 1944-9-8.

Category

Wimpels

Catalogue Value

View Details

Lot 17 Wimpel Embroidered in Colorful Silk – Germany, 1714

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Moshe son of Meir. [Germany], 1714.

Silk thread embroidery

Download picture

Wimpel Embroidered in Colorful Silk – Germany, 1714

9 PHOTOS

Auction 104 Part 1 Rare and Important Items Oct 21, 2025

Opening: $2,500

Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000

Sold for: $3,125

Including buyer's premium

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Moshe son of Meir. [Germany], 1714.

Silk thread embroidery in various colors on linen.

Composed of four linen sheets of equal size, sewn together. At the center, the following embroidered inscription appears:
"Moshe son of Meir, born / under the sign of Aries / Tuesday, 11th Nisan 5474; may he grow in Torah, and to marriage and good deeds…".

The inscription is executed in large letters (some reaching a height of 7-9 cm), in brightly colored silk threads, lending the wimpel a striking luminosity. In addition to the decorated letters, the upper and lower margins are embroidered with figural motifs, including animals (dogs, deer, foxes, birds), flowers and plants, a human figure holding an animal on a leash, and geometric designs. A Torah Scroll motif encircles the word "in Torah"; several of the Lamed stems are adorned with zoomorphic designs.

Height: 20 cm. Length: 288 cm. Fair-good condition. Tears. Stains. Loose threads, mostly at margins. Mounted on new, thin linen backing for reinforcement.

Category

Wimpels

Catalogue Value

View Details

Lot 18 Decorated Wimpel with Finely Executed Illustrations – Germany, 1776

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Yehuda Leib son of Pinchas. [Germany], Av 5536 [1776].

Ink

Download picture

Decorated Wimpel with Finely Executed Illustrations – Germany, 1776

11 PHOTOS

Auction 104 Part 1 Rare and Important Items Oct 21, 2025

Opening: $5,000

Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000

Sold for: $35,000

Including buyer's premium

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Yehuda Leib son of Pinchas. [Germany], Av 5536 [1776].

Ink and paint on linen.

Composed of four nearly identically-sized linen sheets sewn together. At the center, the following inscription appears:
"Yehuda Leib son of R. Pinchas, born Wednesday, 8th Av 5536; may G-d raise him to Torah, marriage, and good deeds…".

Richly decorated throughout its length with vivid, colorful illustrations, including a broad vegetal border and six large narrative illustrations integrated into the text – at the beginning, end, and within. These include:

1. A cartouche with the inscription "A lion has roared; who will not fear?" (Amos 3:8), alluding to the child's name, alongside a depiction of a lion.

2. A Rococo cartouche with another lion and a bearded figure holding a staff.

3. An ornate cartouche with angels surrounding the word "G-d".

4. A large illustration of an open Torah Ark in a synagogue, containing Torah scrolls wrapped in mantles (following the word "to Torah").

5. A large depiction of a wedding ceremony (following the word "marriage"), with figures dressed in elegant period attire.

6. A bird perched on a flowering branch.

In addition to these six large, impressive illustrations – attesting to the skill and professionalism of the artist – the text itself is richly embellished with letters formed in a wide variety of decorative techniques: many shaped like folded fabric ribbons, others incorporating floral or bird motifs, anthropomorphic features such as faces within tagim, and zoomorphic elements (especially in the elongated lamed necks).

The letter forms and overall artistic quality of this wimpel are reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts produced by members of the so-called "Moravian School" of 18th-century manuscript artists, active also in parts of Germany. Ribbon-like letters of the type seen here appear, for example, in the work of Meshullam Zimmel of Polna, Uri Faibush ben Yitzhak Aizik Segal, and Joseph Leipnik. While a direct attribution to these artists cannot be definitively established, the stylistic similarities and the refined quality of the execution clearly place this wimpel among the most beautifully illustrated and richly adorned examples surviving from the 18th century.

Height: 15.5 cm. Length: 352.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Creases, tears, and blemishes, primarily at margins, in some cases affecting text and illustrations, with minor loss (professionally restored). Majority of wimpel well preserved, with vivid colors and clearly legible imagery. Mounted on new linen backing for reinforcement.

Category

Wimpels

Catalogue Value

View Details

Lot 19 Decorated Wimpel, Signed by the Artist – Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, 1797

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Yechiel son of Dov Ber Wolfenbüttel. Sandersleben, Saxony

Download picture

Decorated Wimpel, Signed by the Artist – Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, 1797

10 PHOTOS

Auction 104 Part 1 Rare and Important Items Oct 21, 2025

Opening: $2,000

Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000

Sold for: $20,000

Including buyer's premium

Wimpel (Torah binder), commemorating the birth of the child Yechiel son of Dov Ber Wolfenbüttel. Sandersleben, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, Sivan 5557 [1797].

Ink and paint on linen.

Composed of four nearly identically-sized linen sheets sewn together. At the center, the following inscription appears:
"Dedicated by the child Yechiel son of R. Dov Ber / known as Wolfenbüttel / born / under the sign of Gemini / Friday, the eve of Shabbat, 15th Sivan 5557; may G-d let him be raised to Torah, marriage, good deeds, and to a ripe old age, Amen Selah".

The wimpel is richly adorned throughout with vibrant, colorful illustrations – primarily vegetal designs interspersed with a variety of symbolic and decorative motifs, including: a pair of cornucopias, a peacock, urns, a pair of twins (alluding to the zodiac sign Gemini) within an ornate frame flanked by two angels, baskets of flowers, a figure holding floral garlands, a stork and other birds, a decorative frame surrounding the words "G-d", a Torah scroll topped with a crown, a wedding scene with bride, groom, and officiating rabbi in contemporary attire flanked by two horn-blowers, a hand placing a coin in a charity box, and a pair of spectacles. At the end of the wimpel, within a large jug-shaped cartouche, appears the artist's signature:
"Moshe HaLevi of Sandersleben".

Height: 19.5 cm. Length: 356.5 cm. Overall good condition. Executed on thin linen. Stains, some dark. Few tears, repaired with old cotton thread. One longer tear (several centimeters) unstitched. Mounted on new, thin linen backing for reinforcement.

Category

Wimpels

Catalogue Value

View Details