Auction 105: Rabbinic Autograph Letters & Passover Haggadot.
By Kestenbaum & Company
Apr 4, 2024
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Building 77, 141 Flushing Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205, United States

The auction commences with a first edition of the Segulah-book "Raziel HaMalach" (Lot 1); followed by books that were owned by significant rabbis: 


R. Shlomo Ganzfried (Lot 5); The Aruch Hashulchan (Lot 6); R. Meir Shapira of Lublin (Lot 68)


The most valuable lot offered is a Sefer that was personally owned by, and has a long personal inscription in the hand of, R. Chaim Volozhiner (Lot 4).


The auction contains many excellent offerings of Autograph Letters including:


The first Rebbe of Sadigura, R. Avraham Ya'akov (Lot 13); The Chofetz Chaim (Lots 17-20); The Ohr Same’ach (Lot 41); The Kesav Sofer (Lot 58); Reb Chaim Brisker (Lot 59); The Lubavitcher Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka and her sister (Lots 50-51); and dozens more of such letters.


Autograph manuscripts of note are those from R. Menachem Mendel of Shklov (Lot 9A); The Tiferes Yisroel (Lot 40); and a 14th-century Ramba'n manuscript (Lot 9).


As per annual tradition, this pre-Pesach auction features a wide selection of Passover Hagadot:


The rare, the exotic and the curious; with examples from 1545 through until 2008.


Among particularly Early examples: Lot 87 (Venice, 1545); Lot 88 (Riva di Trento, 1561) and Lot 95 (Salonika, 1569).


Beautifully illustrated Hagadoth include: Lot 93 (Venice, 1740); Lot 85 (India, 1874) and Lot 115 (The Avner Moriah Hagadah).


Historically significant Hagadoth include Lot 72 (American/Canadian/Anglo-related) and many examples from Germany, India, Jerusalem; as well as first edition Hagadah commentaries by the Vilna Gaon (Lot 96), R. Ya'akov Emden (Lot 78); and ending with several facsimile editions. 



More details
The auction has ended

LOT 85:

(INDIA, 1874).

Hagadah shel Pesach - The Institution ...


Start price:
$ 3,000
Estimated price :
$4,000 - $6,000
Buyer's Premium: 25%
sales tax: 8.875% On the full lot's price and commission
04/04/2024 at Kestenbaum & Company
tags:

(INDIA, 1874).

Hagadah shel Pesach - The Institution of Passover. Prepared by the Brothers Moses Jacob and Aaron David Talker


Title in Hebrew, Marathi and English. Hebrew and translation into Marathi translation on facing pages. Celebrated illustrations depicting local Bene Israel custom on opening nine pages.


Variously paginated, here complete in 110 pages. Lightly stained, expert paper repairs. Modern boards. 8vo.

Yudlov 1437.


Poona, Vital Sakharam Agnihorty, 1874.


Unlike the earlier Bombay Hagadah (see previous lot), whose “illustrations were still closely linked to their Amsterdam prototypes, the illustrations in the Poona Hagadah have managed to drift into a sphere of their own. Even as they retain the basic pattern, they are now palpably Indian in tone and detail” (Yerushalmi, 107). Particularly distinct is the illustration depicting the preparation and baking of the Matzoth for Passover. The upper panel shows the men of the Bene-Israel community, the lower panel their female counterparts. Both are in distinctive native dress and sitting in the classic Indian squatting, or lotus position. See Israel Museum Catalogue, The Jews of India (1995) p. 25. An exotic and quite fascinating, illustrated Hagadah.