“Havdalah” spicebox. Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1837. Dedicatory inscription (apparently from Amsterdam) dated 1890.
Cast silver, turned, perforated, and engraved (bearing marks designating quality, date [year], and maker: JGG [Jan George Grebe Jr.], active Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1827-1861).

Caster (silver table vessel for sprinkling sugar), repurposed as a “Havdalah” spice vessel. With round base and pitcher-shaped body; surmounted by removable lid – perforated with small holes to enable sniffing the spices inside – in turn surmounted by an ornament in the form of a hand grasping a dumbbell. Vessel engraved with dedicatory inscription (in Dutch and Hebrew): “Aangeboden / door de Vereeniging / Ahavat Hessed [provided by the ‘Ahavat Hessed’ Organization] / 5650 [1890]…”

In the possession of the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana Jewish cultural and historical collection are two original documents issued by the “Ahavat Hessed UMenahem Avelim” Hevra Kadisha of Amsterdam, dated to the first half of the 19th century; presumably, the present “Havdalah” spicebox is associated with this particular organization.

For similar Dutch “Havdalah” spice vessels, see: Joods Historisch Museum, Amsterdam, item nos. M001387, M001323, M010676, M010674, M010675, and M011862.

Height: Approx. 12.5 cm; Maximum diameter: Approx. 5 cm. Good condition. Minor blemishes. Minor soldering repairs and dents.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.