New York Important Judaica at Sotheby’s New York York Important Judaica at Sotheby’s New York 19 December 2012 New York – Sotheby’s New York sale of Important Judaica on 19

Important Judaica at Sotheby’s New York

19 December 2012

New York – Sotheby’s New York sale of Important Judaica on 19 December 2012 will offer examples of

Hebrew ceremonial metalwork, illuminated manuscripts, early printed books, original decorative bindings and

fine art. The auction, which presents works from across the globe, is led by A Magnificent Passover

Haggadah, written and illustrated by Aaron Wolf Herlingen, from Vienna, 1730 (est. $800,000/1.2 million*).

The sale also includes important paintings by Isidor Kaufmann, a silver section highlighted by a German

Hanukah Lamp, and the Kagan-Maremba Coin and Medal Collection that will be sold on behalf of The Jewish

Museum (est. $300/500,000). The sale will be exhibited in its entirety in our York Avenue galleries beginning

14 December, alongside the sale of Israeli & International Art.

For Immediate ReleasePress Release New York

New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Lauren Gioia | [email protected] | Darrell Rocha | [email protected]

The Herlingen Haggadah, est. $800,000/1.2 million

2

Undoubtedly the highlight of the Books and Manuscripts section of the sale, The Herlingen Haggadah from

1730 is a magnificent example of the 18th century revival of Hebrew manuscript illumination that began in

Vienna (est. $800,000/1.2 million, pictured on first

page and at left). The scribe and artist of the

manuscript is Aaron Wolff Herlingen, one of the

finest Jewish calligraphers of the 18th century

renaissance of Hebrew manuscripts, and who

became the scribe of the Imperial Library in Vienna

in 1736. Herlingen signed his name on the title page

of the present work in four languages – Hebrew,

Latin, German and French – a conspicuous

demonstration of his facility in the multiple languages of the Austrian Empire. The present haggadah is one of

Herlingen’s finest efforts and his consummate skill as a scribe is evidenced in the superbly written letters of the

text and commentaries. His artistic mastery is demonstrated in the numerous illustrative and decorative

elements within the manuscript. The work features three ornamented initial word panels and 60 text

illustrations, as well as a detailed manuscript map appended by Herlingen specifically for this volume.

Another highlighted manuscript is An Extremely

Rare and Important Early Mahzor, France, 13th

century (pictured right). Estimated at

$180/240,000, the work contains the liturgy from

Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Hanukkah, according to

the French rite. Research shows that the present

manuscript and a Mahzor for Rosh ha-Shanah

currently in the collection

of the British Library, were penned by the same scribe and originally constituted a

single, larger work. This volume also may well be the most important extant source of

the liturgical rite of medieval French Jewry, and includes several customs and

traditions that are unknown from any other source.

Additional works on offer feature The First Haggadah Printed in America, which

contains service for the first two nights of the Passover in Hebrew and English (est.

$80/100,000, pictured left), and an Important Decorated Esther Scroll in a

3

Matching Contemporary Silver Case, circa 1800 (est. $70/90,000). Also included in the sale is Derekh Etz

Heim (Path of the Tree of Life), an 18th century manuscript by Haim Vital of a kabbalistic masterwork (est.

$60/80,000). This manuscript is the first part of Haim Vital’s authoritative summary of the kabbalistic teachings

of his master, the preeminent kabbalist of 16th century Safed, Isaac Luria.

The highlight of the silver and metalwork on offer in the December

auction is An Important German Silver-Gilt Hanukah Lamp made

by Johann Valentin Schüler in Frankfurt, Germany circa 1690 (est.

$300/500,000, pictured right). The magnificent lamp belongs to a

group of seven related examples from late-17th and early 18th century

Frankfurt, most of which are preserved in museum collections – the

example in the Steiglitz Collection at the Israel Museum is closest to

the piece on offer. These lamps show the wealth of Frankfurt’s Jewish

community, at a time when the city’s ghetto was one of the most

densely populated in Europe. The sale also features two fine single-

owner groupings, one of which includes a very early German silver-

gilt Havdalah Compendium, made in Augsburg circa 1630 (est. $30/50,000).

The fine art section in the auction is highlighted by two paintings by Isidor Kaufmann originally from the

Collection of Oscar and Regina Gruss: Rabbi with a Young Student (est. $350/550,000, pictured below left)

and The Kabbalist (est. $180/250,000, pictured below right), as well as two other portraits by Kaufmann.

4

The sale will also include the Kagan-Maremba Israel

Coins and Medal Collection, sold on behalf of the Jewish

Museum, New York to Benefit the Acquisitions Fund.

Internationally renowned as the most important collection

of the numismatic history of modern Israel ever assembled,

the collection was formed by businessman, collector,

publisher and philanthropist Arnold H. Kagan (est. $300/500,000). The group contains virtually every issue of

the modern state of Israel up to 1996 and includes a variety of rarities, including the

only known Palestine Currency Board, 1947 1 Mil in Proof, of which fewer than ten

examples are known in any grade, as well as a rare 100 Pound note, of which less than

half a dozen survive (pictured right). The collection contains approximately 2,000

pieces and within the section of modern coins (example pictured left), not only are the

series of regular issue and commemorative coins complete, but included are pattern and specimen issues, some

of which are unique.

*estimates do not include buyer’s premium

# # #