Auction 61 Rare and Important Items
Apr 24, 2018 (Your local time)
Israel
  8 Ramban St, Jerusalem.
The auction has ended

LOT 44:

Ancient Amulet for Safeguarding the Home - "Kerestirer Amulet"

catalog
  Previous item
Next item 
Sold for: $12,000
Start price:
$ 10,000
Estimated price:
$20,000 - $30,000
Auction house commission: 23%
VAT: On commission only
tags:

Ancient amulet for safeguarding the home from thieves and evil spirits, of the type of amulets given by Rebbe Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir (Bodrogkeresztúr, Hungary - "R. Yeshaya'le Kerestirer"). [Europe, 19th century].
Scribal writing ("STaM") on a piece of parchment, placed in an original tin frame, with a loop for hanging over the doorway and a glass window (broken).
Amulets of this type are known as "Kerestirer amulets" - since most of the amulets given by R. Yeshaya'le of Kerestir were in this format, written specifically upon his order by several scribes in Kerestir. The book "Mofet HaDor" (a biography of R. Yeshaya'le of Kerestir) recounts that a store protected by such amulets, sent by R. Yeshaya'le, was miraculously protected from arson (see there two photographs of such amulets).
The book "Elef Ktav" (by R. Yitzchak Weiss of Vrbové, section 515), interprets the text of the amulet as the acronym of three protective verses. The first line contains the alternating acronyms of two verses from Psalms, and the second line contains the acronym of a verse from Genesis. The text of the amulet originates with Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, author of "Yismach Moshe", who gave this amulet for the safeguarding of the home. The "Nachalat Zvi" anthology (XVI, pp. 126-127) contains a picture of a similar amulet written by R. Moshe Teitelbaum, which was given by his grandson, the Yitav Lev, to his assistant, R. Meir Schwartz. The anthology also relates that when Rebbe Yoel of Satmar visited Eretz Israel, he went specifically to see this amulet. Similar amulets were also given by the rebbes of Sanz, Belz, Ruzhyn, Sighet and Liska. R. Hillel of Kolomyia, in his book Teshuvot Beit Hillel HaChadash (section 32), recommends writing this amulet and placing it for a while on all the doorways of a new home, thereby preventing harm to all its residents.
Parchment leaf, placed in a 77X35 mm tin frame, with a tin loop for hanging above the doorway. Good-fair condition. Stains. The tin is slightly rusted, and the back has traces of old house paint. Original glass window, broken. Not examined out of frame.

catalog
  Previous item
Next item