Ornamented brass plaque depicting the site of the Temple, with decorations, various inscriptions and verses, including the inscriptions: "Mordechai Twersky - Numerical value - As in water, face answers to a face, so is the heart of man to a man", produced by Rebbe Mottele Twersky of Rachmastrivka. Jerusalem, [early 20th century, before 1920].
Gilt and etched brass.
An oval medallion depicting the site of the Temple is set at the center of the plaque with the verse: "And you shall see and remember", and the inscription: "Mordechai Twersky - Numerical value - As in water, face answers to a face, so is the heart of man to a man" (based on Mishlei 27:19, with the addition of two letters to complete the numerical value to 735 - corresponding with the name: "Mordechai Twersky"). The medallion is surrounded by an ornate foliate border, and is placed within another elliptical medallion, inscribed: "Rabbiner Mordche Twersky Jerusalem, Palestine", itself framed by an additional square foliate border.
Rebbe Mordechai (R. Mottele) Twersky (1840-1920). Eldest son of the first Rachmastrivka Rebbe, R. Yochanan Twersky, and son-in-law of his uncle Rebbe David of Tolna. In his first marriage, he was the son-in-law of R. Chanina Lipa Shapira of Zhitomir-Slavita. Already in his father's lifetime, a group of Chassidim began frequenting his court, and after the passing of his father in 1895, he served as rebbe of Rachmastrivka together with his brother (initiating the Rachmastrivka tradition of two brothers serving as rebbes, leading the tish and receiving Chassidim - together). In 1906, he immigrated to Jerusalem, where he was one of the most prominent rebbes in the holy city. He was renowned for his exceptional holiness, and as benefiting from Divine Inspiration. He ate very little, yet his face glowed and shone. On Chol HaMoed Pesach 1920, he was injured by Arab rioters on his way to the Western Wall, and passed away several weeks later.
He was a skilled craftsman, and produced silver and copper engraved masterpieces (Encyclopedia L'Chassidut, III, p. 208). The Rebbe's Beit Midrash Beit Mordechai was in the courtyard of the Chayei Olam yeshiva in Jerusalem. An illustrated Shiviti plaque created by the Rebbe hung before the prayer pulpit in his Beit Midrash (see Sh. Zecharia, Yerushalayim HaBilti Nodaat, pp. 94-96. Sh. Zecharia also relates that the renowned artist Hermann Struck would visit the rebbe, to study his artwork and methods). R. Mottele's sukkah boards featured engraved decorations, and "kabbalists testified that these decorations contained kabbalistic combinations of letters and Heavenly Yichudim…" (Yerushalayim shel Maala, II, p. 137. The book reports that the sukkah boards themselves were inherited from his illustrious ancestors). According to a folk tale, R. Mottele himself burnt these boards to save the life of a sick child. The event took place in 1915, during WWI, when there was an extreme shortage of firewood. The Rebbe then allegedly used the sukkah boards for heating water to bath a sick child (Yerushalayim shel Maala, ibid, pp. 136-155).
His son R. Moshe Twersky served as rebbe in Odessa, and his second son Rebbe Pinchas Twersky Rabbi of Ustila (ca. 1880-perished in the Holocaust 1943) - known as R. Piniele Ustiler, was a foremost rebbe in Galicia-Volhyn, and the illustrious son-in-law of R. Yissadar Dov Rokeach of Belz (the Maharid).
Approx. 8X10 cm. Good-fair condition. Marginal break. Minor defects. Bends. Corrosion. Gilding faded.

Large pewter dish depicting the Tablets of Law, Moshe and Aharon, bearing a dedication from 1854. Italy, [first half of the 19th century].
Pewter (stamped "FIN PT"; "Fili Milianetti Alessandria"), engraved and embossed.
Large pewter dish, depicting the Tablets of Law, surmounted by a Torah crown and flanked by the figues of Moshe and Aharon. A name is engraved at the bottom of the decoration: "Mordechai Yaakov Finzi"; dated 1854. Repeating leaf pattern to entire surface of the dish and the rim.
Diameter: 52.5. Good condition. Scratches.

Gold ring set with a gemstone adorned with an image of the Western Wall and the inscription "Jerusalem".
Gold (9 karat, English hallmarks, Birmingham 1978); engraved stone.
Oval stone, engraved with the common depiction of the Western Wall and three cypress trees, the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Inscribed: "Jerusalem". Set in a gold ring.
Gemstone: 2X15 cm. Good condition, superficial chipping to surface.

Silver kiddush goblet designed by Ludwig Wolpert. Portugal, [ca. 1970s].
Silver (marked: "Sterling, Portugal W.H"), turned, cut-out and soldered. Stamped "Wolpert".
Large goblet in Wolpert's modern-industrial style, with a cone-shaped cup, gilt-plated on the inside and perched on a high stem with a cone-shaped base. The ending words of the blessing recited on wine "Creator of the fruit of the vine" (Hebrew) is etched on a thick disc, which separates the cup from the stem. The words "the nation which sanctifies the seventh day" (Hebrew), taken from the Sabbath prayer, appear on the base. Both inscriptions are in a font typical of Wolpert's works.
Height: 21 cm. Diameter: 9 cm. Good condition.

A pictorial Shiviti rug depicting biblical scenes and the emblems of the twelve tribes of Israel. [Tabriz, Iran, 1940s.]
Wool and silk knot-pile; cotton foundation.
The carpet’s design shows various biblical scenes, set in an arch spanning the entire width of the rug and divided into three panels by stylized columns: the Tablets of the Law flanked by cherubs, Moses drawing water from stone and, in another scene, carrying the Tablets of the Law, Aaron the High Priest, the binding of Isaac, and Elijah the prophet riding a chariot of fire. The biblical scenes are separated by panels inscribed with verses and quotes, some relating to the scenes. The top of the central panel depicts a shining sun, under which appears the traditional Shiviti inscription (Hebrew): "I have placed the Lord before me constantly." The emblems of the twelve tribes of Israel appear in the arch; the emblem of Gad is replaced by a Zionist flag.
108X141 cm. Good condition. Minor fraying to edges. Suspension strap sewn to upper edge, on verso.
Literature: Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1997, p. 64.
Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.