Dear Tsadik,
These candlesticks belonged to my great-grandmother. We believe they are from Russia from the 1870s. We would greatly appreciate your evaluation of them.
Thank you.
Uri Klayman
Brooklyn, New York
Dear Uri,
I normally do not appraise objects that are secular in nature but have been adapted for Jewish use. For example, many Jewish families in America have silver candlesticks that have been passed on to them from their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents who originally immigrated from Europe, and have been used in their household to light Shabbat candles. Generally, these silver candlesticks, hailing from cities such as Vienna, St. Petersburg, or Berlin, do not have a monetary value as a piece of Judaica; their value solely lies as a pair of antique silver candlesticks, secular in nature.
However, there are exceptions – notably, silver candlesticks hailing from the city of Warsaw, where the maker of the candlesticks was Jewish and produced Jewish articles such as Chanukah menorahs, spice towers, mezuzah cases, and the like. Some of the well-known names of these Warsaw silversmiths who typically worked from the end of the 19th century into the beginning of the 20th century are Abraham Reiner, Isaac Ehrlich, Shmuel Szkarlat, and Isaac Szekman; their last name would be stamped somewhere on the piece itself, usually next to the numerals that make up the silver hallmark.
Another candlestick exception, less well-known and which appears in the marketplace far less frequently than the aforementioned Warsaw candlesticks by Jewish silversmiths, are silver candlesticks from the city of Zhitomir, located in present-day Ukraine, which is where your candlesticks were made. Even though silver candlesticks made in Zhitomir were manufactured by both Jewish and Christian silversmiths, the fact that it was a city known historically for being a center of Chassidism creates an assumption that a pair of silver candlesticks from Zhitomir would have almost certainly been owned by a Jewish family for Shabbat use.
Researching past auction sales, I was pleasantly surprised that this tidbit of Judaica knowledge has made it into the mainstream. The auction house Christie’s in London, one of the oldest and most prestigious auction houses in the world (founded in 1766), had a pair of Zhitomir candlesticks in their November 27, 2008 auction of “Russian Pictures, Icons, and Works of Art”; the title of the offered lot read: “Judaica: A Pair of Russian Provincial Silver Sabbath Candlesticks Maker’s Mark of EMP, Assay Master’s Mark of Yakov Davydov, Zhitomir, 1860.” After describing the various types of decorative elements on the candlesticks, Christie’s added this note at the conclusion: “Zhitomir was one of the oldest towns in European Russia and was formerly part of Lithuania. By 1778, when it became part of Russia, it had a large Jewish community & was a Hasidic centre. The 1861 census records there were 13,299 Jews in a total population of 40,504.” Assigned an estimate of 1,000-1,200 English Pounds, it sold for 1,375 Pounds, which in 2008 was equivalent to $1,843. However, some years later, on August 25, 2020, an auction house in New Jersey offered this very pair of candlesticks that were sold at Christie’s (and listed it as such in the description as “provenance”), and they realized only $1,320.
Your candlesticks bear a date of 1871, the symbol for the city of Zhitomir, a maker’s mark of Berko Shamsonovich Shtrik, and the assay master’s mark of Pavel Kireev. Further research reveals that Berko Shamsonovich Shtrik was a well-known maker of silver candlesticks in Zhitomir. Your pair are of a particularly nice form, as they are more robust than the pair offered at Christie’s.
Unfortunately, in the last ten years, the marketplace for Jewish-associated silver candlesticks has decreased as they have declined in desirability among collectors. In today’s market, your candlesticks have a value of $1,000-$1,500.
Best,
Tsadik
Dear Tsadik,
Shalom! I am not sure where this textile is from. I inherited it from my mother, a”h. Where would it be used? In a shul? What would be the value, please? Thank you very much.
Lea Davidson
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Dear Lea,
Your large textile with Hebrew verses on its borders was made in Isfahan, Iran, sometime after 1950, primarily for the tourist and export trade. As for use, it was either set on the dining room table for Shabbat and holidays, or it was hung on the wall as a piece of decoration. Similar examples to your textile regularly appear at various auction houses in Israel, and if in excellent condition with no tears or stains, tend to sell in the range of $100-$125.
Best,
Tsadik
Dear Tsadik,
I would greatly appreciate any information about this menorah that you can provide.
Judy Schneider
Brooklyn, New York
Dear Judy,
Your Chanukah menorah was a very popular model made by the company Tamar in Israel during the 1970s. It features a pair of lions (“Lions of Judah”) flanking a representation of the Temple Menorah, and encircling this scene are the symbols of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, each labeled in Hebrew. Value: $30-$50.
Best,
Tsadik
Dear Tsadik,
I was wondering if you know what this is? I’ve asked three rabbis, including my husband, and no one has any idea. It was purchased in Turkey back in 2018. Thank you!
Rivkah Mirski
Los Angeles, CA
Dear Rivkah,
Well, it is challenging to determine exactly what its purpose is, but I have seen similarly made and designed Israeli items like it before. It is made of metal, painted to look like brass, and was manufactured during the 1960s or early 1970s. It was placed on the dining room table or coffee table to hold…perhaps utensils? I’m not really sure. Regardless, the value is so minimal – I don’t know if anyone would pay more than a dollar or two for it at a yard sale or flea market. Sorry!
Best,
Tsadik
Dear Tsadik,
What can you tell me about this very heavy item? I have included the maker’s mark found under the base of the menorah. My parents owned it since at least the early 1960s. Thanks in advance.
Sara Gruenspecht
New Milford, NJ
Dear Sara,
What you have is not a menorah – it is a seven-branched candelabrum for secular use, made in Germany sometime around 1910. It is heavy because it is made of solid iron, which was a material that was popular in use in England, Germany, and the United States from about 1895 to 1910, as the Arts and Crafts Movement was a type of design that was in fashion during that era, and included household items made of iron.
While your candelabrum is hallmarked “Germany,” I cannot identify the maker’s mark of the intertwined letters of “F” and “W.” Generally speaking, similarly made seven-branched iron candelabra made in Germany during this period are regularly offered in the marketplace for $200-$300.
Best,
Tsadik