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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 | Lauren.Gioia@Sothebys.com | Darrell Rocha | Darrell.Rocha@Sothebys.com
The Herlingen Haggadah, est. $800,000/1.2 million
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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
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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.
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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
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