Menorah Galleries Folk Art

A remarkable early 20th-century oil painting by Austrian artist Alwin Arnegger, portraying two elderly Jewish rabbis in quiet repose within a synagogue interior. The work, entitled Z...

A charming and expressive vintage sculpture by Marwal Industries, this piece was created in New York during the 1960s, and is a fine example of chalk...

A masterful example of religious storytelling rendered in sculptural form, this Italian 17th century polychrome relief sculpture depicts the powerful biblical scene of The Binding of...

A stunning and rare artist proof (42/50) by renowned artist Yankel Ginzburg, this acrylic lucite mezuzah is a mesmerizing fusion of tradition and contemporary artistry. The sculptura...

This striking hand-painted stone by the esteemed artist Ilya Schor, created in Provincetown, Massachusetts, during the 1950s, is a remarkable example of his unique blend of abstract ...

This exquisite hand-painted stone by the renowned artist Ilya Schor, created in Provincetown, Massachusetts, during the 1950s, beautifully captures the regal and spiritual essence of...

This charming and rare hand-painted stone by the renowned artist Ilya Schor beautifully captures a serene harbor scene in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The miniature artwork, painted ...

This enchanting hand-painted stone by Ilya Schor is a captivating celebration of joy, festivity, and folk artistry. Signed on the back by the artist and marked with its place of crea...

This beautifully hand-painted stone by Ilya Schor captures a richly detailed scene infused with warmth, folklore, and storytelling. Featuring a Hasidic man standing on a bridge, the ...

This exquisite hand-painted stone by renowned artist Ilya Schor is a captivating example of his distinct artistic style, blending Jewish folk imagery with masterful craftsmanship. Si...

This exquisite Chess Set by Hans Teppich, crafted in Israel circa 1950, is a remarkable blend of artistry and craftsmanship. The set features a finely mad...

The backplate is cast and featuring a deer in the center surrounded by open scrollwork. The side panels fitted with two servant lights, fronted by a row of eight oil fonts. Scholars theorize that these Polish Chanukah lamps that bear two servant lights (as opposed to the singular servant light normally found on a Hanukkah Lamp...

Antique Hanukkah lamp, cast brass, rivets, Algeria, circa 1880. Crescent-shaped back plate, with eight gates, a vase with flowers, apertures in veget...

Hand carved wooden Torah pointer, Germany, circa 1880. Folk Art Judaica. Every item in Menorah Galleries is accompanied by a Lifetime "Certificat...

Brass Hanukkah lamp Menorah, Poland, circa 1810. Cast in Bench form, on four feet. The backplate is cast and pierced featuring scrollwork. This lamp was made by the technique known as "sand casting". This process begins with a wooden mold that was carved out to create negative space, which in turn is used to make the inverse form or shape to be used for the casting of metal. The mold is pressed into fine sand mixed with clay, then removed, and molten brass poured into the impression. When a mold wears out, a casting from that mold is often used as the mold for the next generation. Those later lamps...

Rare Alsace carved wooden Torah Pointer (YAD), 18th century. The body of the pointer is engraved in its first part with a decoration of palmettes and stripes. It then continues with...

Cast brass Hanukkah Lamp, Galicia, 18th century. The backplate is cast and pierced featuring dense scrollwork. The side panels fitted with two servant lights, fronted by a row of eight oil fonts. Scholars theorize that these Polish Chanukah Lamps that bear two servant lights (as opposed to the singular servant light normally found on a Chanukah Lamp), served a purpose, having been used on one of the days that Chanukah fell on the Sabbath, as Sabbath Candlesticks. This lamp was made by the technique known as "sand casting". This process begins with a wooden mold that was carved out to create negative space, which in turn is used to make the inverse form or shape to be used for the casting of metal. The mold is pressed into fine sand mixed with clay, then removed, and molten brass poured into the impression. When a mold wears out, a casting from that mold is often used as the mold for the next generation. Those later lamps...

Pewter passover tray, Germany, 18th century. The outer rim has wriggle- work engraving of the order of the Seder service, along with a pair of birds fl...

Brass Hanukkah Lamp, Salonika, Greece, 19th century. Openwork backplate with scrolled branches; three stylized flowers support central triangular c...

An Intricate Jerusalem Textile, made in Jerusalem, 1886. Double-sided large pouch. Wool thread embroidered on cotton net. One side has a lion and stag holding flags reading “Jerusalem” in Hebrew, which flank a crowned Ten Commandments. Titled in Hebrew “Swift as a deer, strong as a lion” (Ethics of the Fathers 5:20). “Jerusalem” is seen in large lettering, atop a pair of birds and flowers. Top scene of the reverse side is titled “Mount of Olives”, amongst a plethora of olive trees, and a cluster of buildings is titled “Chulda the Prophetess”, (where her and others tombs reside). Main scene is titled “The Western Wall”, which features the wall and outer structures with turrets and Cyprus trees. The Hebrew date of “1886” is revealed on the bottom corners. This delicate textile, incredibly vibrant in color after 130 years of being created, is a masterful, exceedingly rare work of art produced in Jerusalem by an unknown woman --- likely quite young, a teenager --- as a gift to an unknown individual. Too complex to be a “tourist trinket”, as we know of one other similarly-made textile that is in the collection of the Israel Museum, and is dated 1876: see the book “Jewish Folk Art: From Biblical Days to Modern Times”, page 122. A clue to where perhaps this was made is in the depiction of the lion and stag holding flags, as they are identical to those featured on the crest of Moses Montefiore. In the 19th century, Montefiore gave enormous sums of money to purchase land for Jewish settlements and establish schools in Palestine. This textile most likely hailed from a school for girls funded by Montefiore, and was made as either a gift for Montefiore himself, or another wealthy donor. As to the actual purpose of this textile, since it is in the form of a large pouch, its intended purpose might have been to hold a tallit (prayer...

An Eastern European Kethubah Strikingly Decorated in Papercut Form, and with the Central Traditional Hebrew Text of a Most Uncommon Petite Appearance. Uni...