Median from 1,409 sold in the last 36 months·hammer prices, excl. buyer's premium — fair-market auction value (retail/insurance replacement runs higher)
8,646 comparables for “Musical Instruments” · page 357 of 361
<b>AN EXTRAORDINARILY RARE AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT PARCEL-GILT SILVER FILIGREE SPICE CONTAINER.<br /></b>
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<br />An impressive silver filigree spice container of tower form.
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<p>Germany / Galicia, mid-18th century</p>
<br />The three-tiered tower features a hinged door with latch. Each of the four sides is set with an engraved clock face. The central section houses a single bell and is surrounded by three (of four) gilt cast male figures bearing, respectively, a braided candle, and musical instruments (flute and lyre). The upper section of the tower is encircled by four filigree pennants and a further four gilt cast male figures respectively bearing, a wine-cup, spices and a prayer-book (upon which (identifying?) marks are engraved). At top rests a domed cupola with pennant (detached). The whole, set upon a (slightly later?) fluted raised circular pedestal above which stands a male figure with arms outstretched clutching a prayer-book and spices. No visible silver marks. Height 16.5 inches (41.5 cm). Housed in: 18th-century custom fitted leather case. AN EXCEPTIONAL SPICE-TOWER OF EXQUISITE QUALITY, COMPLETE WITH CONTEMPORARY CUSTOM FITTED CASE. Provenance: From the collection of a prominent, pre-war Frankfurt Jewish family (details of which will be provided to the successful bidder). The silver sheet base of this most distinctive spice-tower is typically German, yet the feature of a standing male figure, is almost only seen as part of a Havdalah Compendium. Used here in the present fashion, as part of a spice-tower, is unparalleled - and there appears to be no other similar such spice tower extant. The body of this spice-tower is also of a typical German form, with the four towers at the corners and the faceted central tower above. Yet the fine filigree work is clearly Galician. The filigree flag at top is also a regular feature of Galician towers, while the use of a clock face is a German convention. The exciting appearance of male figures, here standing on the parapets of the tower, can be found both in fine German sheet silver examples, as well as on fine filigree Galician models, and are always, most highly prized. All in all, this magnificent silver spice tower with multiple cast human figures is very much in the 18th century German style, but fashioned from a silver technique that is quite clearly Galician. A most unique example. For a similar spice-tower formerly in the collection of The Jewish Historical Society of England and subsequently sold at auction, see Kestenbaum & Company, Sale 56, Lot 5 (hammer-price, $280,000). See https://www.kestenbaum.net/auction/lot/auction-56/056-005/. The Jewish Museum of Frankfurt (JMF 87-104) possesses a similar spice tower, but not as elaborate as the one offered here (see Jüdische Türme aus Schwabische Gmünd (2001) p. 70). Also similar, but several inches shorter, is a spice-tower from the Arthur Howitt Collection sold at auction in 1932 and resold by Christie’s Amsterdam, December 10th, 2007, Lot 196. For historical context, see the learned article by Michele Klein “The Havdalah Candle Holder” in Ars Judaica (2012) pp. 31-54. Kestenbaum & Company is grateful to Mr. William L. Gross (Tel Aviv), for his scholarly advice; and for his expert, curatorial assessment of this spice-tower.
<br />The three-tiered tower features a hinged door with latch. Each of the four sides is set with an engraved clock face. The central section houses a single bell and is surrounded by three (of four) gilt cast male figures bearing, respectively, a braided candle, and musical instruments (flute and lyre). The upper section of the tower is encircled by four filigree pennants and a further four gilt cast male figures respectively bearing, a wine-cup, spices and a prayer-book (upon which (identifying?) marks are engraved). At top rests a domed cupola with pennant (detached). The whole, set upon a (slightly later?) fluted raised circular pedestal above which stands a male figure with arms outstretched clutching a prayer-book and spices. No visible silver marks. Height 16.5 inches (41.5 cm). Housed in: 18th-century custom fitted leather case. AN EXCEPTIONAL SPICE-TOWER OF EXQUISITE QUALITY, COMPLETE WITH CONTEMPORARY CUSTOM FITTED CASE. Provenance: From the collection of a prominent, pre-war Frankfurt Jewish family (details of which will be provided to the successful bidder). The silver sheet base of this most distinctive spice-tower is typically German, yet the feature of a standing male figure, is almost only seen as part of a Havdalah Compendium. Used here in the present fashion, as part of a spice-tower, is unparalleled - and there appears to be no other similar such spice tower extant. The body of this spice-tower is also of a typical German form, with the four towers at the corners and the faceted central tower above. Yet the fine filigree work is clearly Galician. The filigree flag at top is also a regular feature of Galician towers, while the use of a clock face is a German convention. The exciting appearance of male figures, here standing on the parapets of the tower, can be found both in fine German sheet silver examples, as well as on fine filigree Galician models, and are always, most highly prized. All in all, this magnificent silver spice tower with multiple cast human figures is very much in the 18th century German style, but fashioned from a silver technique that is quite clearly Galician. A most unique example. For a similar spice-tower formerly in the collection of The Jewish Historical Society of England and subsequently sold at auction, see Kestenbaum & Company, Sale 56, Lot 5 (hammer-price, $280,000). See https://www.kestenbaum.net/auction/lot/auction-56/056-005/. The Jewish Museum of Frankfurt (JMF 87-104) possesses a similar spice tower, but not as elaborate as the one offered here (see Jüdische Türme aus Schwabische Gmünd (2001) p. 70). Also similar, but several inches shorter, is a spice-tower from the Arthur Howitt Collection sold at auction in 1932 and resold by Christie’s Amsterdam, December 10th, 2007, Lot 196. For historical context, see the learned article by Michele Klein “The Havdalah Candle Holder” in Ars Judaica (2012) pp. 31-54. Kestenbaum & Company is grateful to Mr. William L. Gross (Tel Aviv), for his scholarly advice; and for his expert, curatorial assessment of this spice-tower.
US$150,000
Music & Musical Instruments
US$6,000
· Dec 2025
<b>Book of Printed Letters of Gedolei HaDor Against the Maskilim </b>
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<b>Including from the Chasam Sofer and Rabbi Akiva Eiger </b>
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<b>Altona, 1819 <br />*</b>
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Sefer Aileh Divrei HaBris, containing twenty-two sharply worded letters from the Gedolei HaDor of many countries, opposing the practices introduced by the Reform Jews in their first Temple.
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<b>A historic composition – the very first time the Gedolei HaDor united against the Reform movement at its inception. <br /></b>
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The essence of the sefer is built around three central issues in which the Reform began to deviate from the accepted minhag:
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a) Altering the established text of tefillah fixed by the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah;
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b) Translating the prayers into German;
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c) Introducing musical instruments to accompany the tefillah on Shabbos.
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The year prior, in 1818, the first Reform Temple was founded in Hamburg, where these innovations were instituted. The dayanim of the community rose to wage a battle against them, turning to the Gedolei HaDor for their halachic ruling on these changes.
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<b>That same year (1818) a sefer titled Nogah HaTzedek was printed in Vienna, in which its Reform author sought to justify these innovations. </b>
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Presented here are letters from dozens of Gedolei HaDor denouncing the three changes and the sefer Nogah HaTzedek, written with shock and anguish, and in the strongest of terms.
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<b>These letters stirred immense tumult across Europe and, to a great extent, can be said to have curbed the spread of Reform in those years. </b>
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Among the Rabbanim whose letters appear here:
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The Chasam Sofer – there are no less than three letters of his (!) spanning some twenty-two pages in total;
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Rabbi Akiva Eiger of Posen;
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Rabbi Mordechai Banet of Nikolsburg;
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Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum of Lissa, author of Nesivos HaMishpat;
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Rabbi Meshulam Zakman HaKohen (Raza”ch) of Fuerth;
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Rabbi Hertz Scheyer of Mainz;
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and many more rabbanim from Italy, France, and Germany.
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<b>A very important sefer – one of the earliest in the world to present the Orthodox Jewish stance against Reform, and one of those that helped shape the identity of the Torah-true community down to our own generation. </b>
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The Chasam Sofer was deeply involved in gathering the teshuvos of the Gedolei HaDor, and at the head of his own teshuva here he describes his efforts in the matter.
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On the title page is printed: “By the order of the Beis Din Tzedek of the holy community of Hamburg.”
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<b>Altona, 1819. Sole edition. Page Count:</b> XVI, 132 pp. Printed at the end are translations of the letters into Yiddish - German.
<b>Size: </b>21.2 cm.
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<b>Condition:</b> Good. A few holes, some stains. Antique binding (somewhat worn).
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<b>Provenance: </b>The William Gross Collection, Tel-Aviv.
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US$6,000
Other
US$3,800
· Dec 2025
<p><b>Fifty Handwritten Glosses of the Imrei Bina on the Sefer Sha’ar Mishpat <br />*</b></p>
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<p>Sefer Yesod. Sha’ar Mishpat on Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat by Rabbi Yisrael Isser, Av Beis Din of Venice, with dozens of glosses in the holy handwriting of Rabbi Meir Auerbach, Av Beis Din of Kalish and Ra’avad of the Ashkenazi community in Yerushalayim.<br /><br />On the title page of the sefer appears his autographed inscription: עליא עבר ותתאי גבר, מתת אלוקים היא לי מאיר אויערבאך. Throughout the margins of the sefer are approximately fifty annotations, most of them lengthy, in his own handwriting. <br /><br /></p>
<p><b>The sefer Sha’ar Mishpat was regularly on the desk of the Imrei Bina, who toiled extensively in it while writing his own sefer Imrei Bina–Choshen Mishpat, mentioning it over one hundred times in his work!</b></p>
<p><br />One can even find parallels between these glosses and his words in Imrei Bina — see, for example, the glosses on leaf 4a and Imrei Bina siman 9; leaf 41b and Imrei Bina siman 22, se’if katan 1; chelek beis leaf 53b and Imrei Bina, Kuntres HaKinyanim siman 22; leaf 56a and Imrei Bina ibid. siman 18.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Also included are several glosses in the handwriting of his grandson, the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Menachem Nosson Auerbach, author of Orach Ne’eman, usually signed: Menachem. In addition, there are several glosses in the handwriting of Rabbi Yoel Kluft, who also recorded on the inner binding notes regarding the identification of the glosses.</p>
<p><b><br />Rabbi Meir Auerbach, author of Imrei Bina (1815–1878)</b>, received his Torah from his father, Rabbi Yitzchak Auerbach, author of Divrei Chaim, and from his grandfather, author of Divrei Mishpat. He served as Rav of Kalish, and was known for the rest of his life in Yerushalayim as “the Rav from Kalish.”<br /><br /></p>
<p>In 1855 he immigrated to Yerushalayim and was immediately accepted by the great rabbanim of the city as Rav and head of the Ashkenazi community. The Beis Din, which until then had been in the Churvah of R’ Yehuda HaChassid, was moved to “the courtyard of the Rav of Kalish.”</p>
<p><br />The Maggid of Yerushalayim, Rabbi Yadler, in his book BeTuv Yerushalayim, writes that he was “one of the giants who stood on guard in Yerushalayim to ensure that all conducted themselves according to Torah and tradition.” He further wrote there that in Yerushalayim it was seen clearly by him the fulfillment of the saying, “A tzaddik decrees and Hakadosh Boruch Hu, fulfills [the decree].”<br /><br /></p>
<p>The well-known prohibition, still in force today, not to play in Yerushalayim multiple musical instruments at weddings, was instituted by the Imrei Bina. See Shu”t Salmas Chaim by Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, siman 101, where it is written: “And one who disregarded it and belittled it was severely punished.”</p>
<p><br /><b>Mohilev, 1810–1812. First edition.</b> Vol. I: [2], 146, [14] leaves. Vol. II: 76 leaves. <b>Size:</b> 37 cm. <b>Condition: </b>Bluish paper, lacking lower half of the first title page. Holes in margins of leaves, mainly in vol. II.</p>
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<p>Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 201.<br />____________________________________<br /> <br />“To use my pen in telling his praises, his greatness in Torah and in righteousness, in order to recognize him and exalt his name in Yisrael, would surely be superfluous; for who has not heard his name? Was he not called Meir, and he indeed enlightened the eyes of the sages in halacha, and his sefarim, Imrei Bina, as their name so they are — filled with insight and wisdom.”</p>
<p>(From the approbation of Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Meisel to the second edition of Imrei Bina)<br /></p>
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US$3,800
Other
US$2,600
· May 2025
<b>Shiltei HaGiborim </b>
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<b>Exceptional Work on Beis Hamikdash and its Vessels </b>
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<b>First Edition. Mantua, 1612 </b>
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<b>*</b>
<br />A fascinating and unique work containing ninety chapters that offer a vivid and detailed portrayal of every aspect of the avodah in the Beis Hamikdash: its structure, its vessels, the musical instruments of the Levi’im and the halachos governing their song (with ten chapters devoted to this alone!), the stones of the choshen, the herbs of the ketoreis (incense), coins, korbanos, and much more.
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This work is a kind of “encyclopedia” for all concepts relating to the Beis Hamikdash, while expanding on the scientific aspects as well. It is brimming with delightful Torah gems.
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This work served as a key resource for almost all who engaged with these topics, even in the author’s generation, including the Tosafos Yom Tov, who refers to the author with the title “Hashalit” (the ruler/authority), the Chavos Yair, the Chasdei Dovid (Rav Dovid Pardo), the Tiferes Yisrael, and many others. Rabbi Eliyahu HaKohen, author of ‘Midrash Talpiyos’, copied entire sections from this sefer into his own.
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The work contains ninety chapters followed by a separate section containing three parts with separate title pages which contain tefillos and set prayer orders for weekdays, Shabbos, and Yom Tov.
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<b>Rabbi Avraham HaRofeh</b> of Sha’ar Aryeh (d. 1612) was a tremendous scholar in both Torah and secular sciences. A talmid of Rabbi Avraham Provenzalo and Rabbi Moshe Kazis, he was one of the great sages of Mantua. He possessed an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and, as described in his introduction, was fluent in ten languages. He utilized these languages throughout his work, and included at the beginning of the sefer a small treatise on “The Languages of the Nations, ” in which he printed the Greek alphabet!
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The sefer was printed by the Venetian printer Elisha HaZifroni who traveled to Mantua specifically to print it, as attested to by the author in his introduction).
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For more on the author, see the detailed introduction in the new edition published by Machon Yerushalayim (2010).
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<b>Mantua, 1612. First Edition</b> (not reprinted until the 1940s).
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<b>Page Count:</b> 12, 186 leaves.
<b>Condition: </b>Stains on the first and last leaves, otherwise in good condition. Fine new leather binding.
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As a testament to the author’s vast knowledge, he even includes several references to the continent of America—which had only recently been discovered at the time (see, for example, leaf 183a). This is one of the earliest Hebrew sefarim to mention America!
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The author brings a remarkable chiddush regarding the reason for the halachah brought in the Gemara that the one grinding the spices in the Beis Hamikdash says, “Hadek heitev heitev hadek” (“Grind well, well grind”), because the sound is beneficial for the spices.
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He explains that during the grinding, dust particles of the spices rise into the air. If the grinder were to sneeze or cough because of the strong spices, there is a concern it could lead to “dangerous diphtheria”. Therefore, by saying “heitev hadek hadek heitev” aloud, he pushes out the words forcefully with his breath, which simultaneously drives the rising spice particles out of his throat—thus protecting him from being harmed by the spice dust rising in the air!
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![<p><b>Fifty Handwritten Glosses of the Imrei Bina on the Sefer Sha’ar Mishpat <br />*</b></p>
<p><b><br /></b></p>
<p><b><br /></b></p>
<p>Sefer Yesod. Sha’ar Mishpat on Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat by Rabbi Yisrael Isser, Av Beis Din of Venice, with dozens of glosses in the holy handwriting of Rabbi Meir Auerbach, Av Beis Din of Kalish and Ra’avad of the Ashkenazi community in Yerushalayim.<br /><br />On the title page of the sefer appears his autographed inscription: עליא עבר ותתאי גבר, מתת אלוקים היא לי מאיר אויערבאך. Throughout the margins of the sefer are approximately fifty annotations, most of them lengthy, in his own handwriting. <br /><br /></p>
<p><b>The sefer Sha’ar Mishpat was regularly on the desk of the Imrei Bina, who toiled extensively in it while writing his own sefer Imrei Bina–Choshen Mishpat, mentioning it over one hundred times in his work!</b></p>
<p><br />One can even find parallels between these glosses and his words in Imrei Bina — see, for example, the glosses on leaf 4a and Imrei Bina siman 9; leaf 41b and Imrei Bina siman 22, se’if katan 1; chelek beis leaf 53b and Imrei Bina, Kuntres HaKinyanim siman 22; leaf 56a and Imrei Bina ibid. siman 18.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Also included are several glosses in the handwriting of his grandson, the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Menachem Nosson Auerbach, author of Orach Ne’eman, usually signed: Menachem. In addition, there are several glosses in the handwriting of Rabbi Yoel Kluft, who also recorded on the inner binding notes regarding the identification of the glosses.</p>
<p><b><br />Rabbi Meir Auerbach, author of Imrei Bina (1815–1878)</b>, received his Torah from his father, Rabbi Yitzchak Auerbach, author of Divrei Chaim, and from his grandfather, author of Divrei Mishpat. He served as Rav of Kalish, and was known for the rest of his life in Yerushalayim as “the Rav from Kalish.”<br /><br /></p>
<p>In 1855 he immigrated to Yerushalayim and was immediately accepted by the great rabbanim of the city as Rav and head of the Ashkenazi community. The Beis Din, which until then had been in the Churvah of R’ Yehuda HaChassid, was moved to “the courtyard of the Rav of Kalish.”</p>
<p><br />The Maggid of Yerushalayim, Rabbi Yadler, in his book BeTuv Yerushalayim, writes that he was “one of the giants who stood on guard in Yerushalayim to ensure that all conducted themselves according to Torah and tradition.” He further wrote there that in Yerushalayim it was seen clearly by him the fulfillment of the saying, “A tzaddik decrees and Hakadosh Boruch Hu, fulfills [the decree].”<br /><br /></p>
<p>The well-known prohibition, still in force today, not to play in Yerushalayim multiple musical instruments at weddings, was instituted by the Imrei Bina. See Shu”t Salmas Chaim by Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, siman 101, where it is written: “And one who disregarded it and belittled it was severely punished.”</p>
<p><br /><b>Mohilev, 1810–1812. First edition.</b> Vol. I: [2], 146, [14] leaves. Vol. II: 76 leaves. <b>Size:</b> 37 cm. <b>Condition: </b>Bluish paper, lacking lower half of the first title page. Holes in margins of leaves, mainly in vol. II.</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod, no. 201.<br />____________________________________<br /> <br />“To use my pen in telling his praises, his greatness in Torah and in righteousness, in order to recognize him and exalt his name in Yisrael, would surely be superfluous; for who has not heard his name? Was he not called Meir, and he indeed enlightened the eyes of the sages in halacha, and his sefarim, Imrei Bina, as their name so they are — filled with insight and wisdom.”</p>
<p>(From the approbation of Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Meisel to the second edition of Imrei Bina)<br /></p>
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<p></p>](/img/aHR0cHM6Ly9iaWRzcGlyaXQtaW1hZ2VzLmdsb2JhbC5zc2wuZmFzdGx5Lm5ldC96YWlkeS9jbG9uZWQtaW1hZ2VzLzE4MDQ4LzAyMy8wMjMuanBn.AnxVxisYQjndcQRM8E6Vdw)
