Six Silver Lechaim Cups, Purchased by the Rebbe Rayatz in Honor of the Betrothal of His Daughter Rebbetzin Chana to ...

Six Silver Lechaim Cups, Purchased by the Rebbe Rayatz in Honor of the Betrothal of His Daughter Rebbetzin Chana to Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary – Engraved with the Letter G – With Letter of Authenticity by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary, "Both parents and us choson and kallah drank a lechaim from these cups"

Six lechaim cups, purchased by Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch, in honor of the betrothal of his eldest daughter Chana to R. Shemaryahu Gurary, on 12th Tammuz 1920.
Silver, marked with Russian hallmarks [St. Petersburg?, early 20th century]. Engraved with foliate design. The letter G - initial of the surname Gurary – is engraved in the center of each cup.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift the six lechaim cups my parents bought me and my choson when we got engaged. The added the letter G in calligraphy alphabet because my new last name would be Gourary. Both parents and us choson and kallah drank a lechaim from these cups". The letter is dated November 5, 1989. Enclosed is a large wooden box which was possibly used by the Rebbe Rayatz or his family [the box was given together with these cups, however, it is not mentioned in the letter of authenticity].

In autumn 1915, during WWI, the German enemy approached Smolensk, close to Lubavitch, and Rebbe Rashab and his entourage were forced to flee the town which was home to his great-grandfather the Mitteler Rebbe since 1813. After several days of wandering, he settled in Rostov-on-Don in south-western Russia and lived there for four years. 
Before his death on 2nd Nissan 1920, the Rashab chose Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary (the Rashag), son of R. Menachem Mendel Gurary of Kremenchuk, for his eldest granddaughter Rebbetzin Chana. They became engaged in Rostov-on-Don on 12th Tamuz 1920, three months after the death of the Rashab.

The joy, elegance and splendor of the betrothal party is described in the book Shemuot VeSipurim: "The Rebbe circled the room and gave out drinks and food to each and every participant… Not many people attended because at that time, Rostov was isolated from the world, however the room reverberated with joy and one could see the countenance of the Rebbe glow with happiness....". Based on the enclosed letter of authenticity, these six cups were purchased by the Rebbe in honor of the betrothal party. The groom and bride and their parents all drank lechaim from these cups.

The wedding took place about one year later, on 11th Sivan 1921. Due to the difficult situation in Russia at that time, the wedding was a modest and small affair, and took place in the courtyard of Rebbe Rayatz in Rostov.
The book Shemuot VeSipurim describes the despondent atmosphere at the wedding: hearing Niggun Daled Bovos played at the wedding, Rebbe Rayatz wept and thumped the table with his hand. The Rashab's chair stood empty at the head of the table in the same place as in the past, and no one touched it. The mood was so morose that no one even danced.

10 cm. Good condition. Minor damage.