Abe Wintner, who owned the Abe Wintner Judaic Art Co. on Beverly Boulevard opened his store at 7319 Beverly Boulevard in 2010 and filled it with Judaic artworks and ceremonial pieces. Abe’s parents and relatives endured untold hardships during World War II while living in the former Czechoslovakian village, Kosice. Abe was born, while his parents were hiding from the nazis in 1945 in the mountains of Czechoslovakia. Wintner’s father and mother fled their village as the Nazis were advancing in 1943, and lived for approximately one year in the nearby Tatra Mountains.
His father, Eliezer, owned a successful textile business and had considerable wealth. Eliezer Wintner has been credited with saving the lives of over 10,000 Jews who otherwise would likely have perished. He used his money to bribe the Germans and Czech police to allow them to go into the mountains. They survived on very little food.
The Wintner family moved to Belgium, Israel, and later Los Angeles. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Wintner attended a rabbinical school in Baltimore, Ner Israel, where he began collecting antique Judaic art. He saved small increments of money sent by his family for clothing and food and used it to buy antique menorahs, candlesticks, spice boxes, and items used in religious ceremonies. It would turn into a personal desire for collecting artworks that he said represented the strength and resolve of the Jewish people. “It’s the only store specializing in antique Judaica west of New York, ” Wintner said. “I am addicted to it. Some people drink or fool around. This is my addiction — art. Wintner credited his love for art collecting with helping him put the memories of the past somewhat to rest, his store brought a renewed sense of peace to his life.
Abe married Yvonne in 1979 and has 2 children, Dahlia who lives in Raanana, and Yoni living in Los Angeles. Abe has been blessed with 7 grandchildren. Wintner regularly travels to auctions around the country. His collection has grown to include more than 800 pieces, from paintings, drawings, and sculptures to engraved silver and hand-carved wood pieces. Many of the artworks date back 300 to 400 years.
|
LOT 32:
Antique Miniature Tefillin with questionable attribution to the Rogachover Gaon. Very Rare.
more...
|
|
|
Sold for: $1,300
Start price:
$
500
Buyer's Premium: 25%
sales tax: 8.375%
On the full lot's price and commission
|
Antique Miniature Tefillin with questionable attribution to the Rogachover Gaon. Very Rare.
Two antique round Miniature Tefillin. The Shel Rosh Tefillin is round.
The Tefillin Shel Yad, there are some early Rishonim who believe that it is permissible to make them circular, and this was a common practice in the past as seen in illustrations. These are probably the only surviving ancient circular Tefillin.
In a nice box covered with leather, lined with velvet and marble paper.
On the box is affixed a strange testifying letter "These tefillin belong to the man of God, great among the great, the giant, the glory of the generation, and the rabbi of all of Klal Israel, the Tzadik among the Tzadikim ......... Rabbi Yosef Rozen, Zatza"l, (Rogachover) Rabbi in Dvinsk .... the "Tzofnas Panach" who studied Torah day and night ..He slept with these tefillin every night. The Savitsky family from Boston 1991''
Rabbi Mordechai Savitsky was born in Lida, Belarus, the son of Yosef Savitsky. In his youth he studied with Rabbi Ya'akov Neiman who was the head of the Yeshiva in Lida, and was known as "the Elevation of Lida". After that he moved to study at the Radin Yeshiva with Rabbi Naftali Tropp. He was authorized to teach by the great rabbis in Lithuania, led by Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzenski and Rabbi Hanoch Eiges, with whom he was in close contact. When he was eighteen years old he wrote his first book "Bikurei Mordechai" on the Jerusalem Talmud
At that time, as a student of Chofetz Chaim in Radin, he maintained a long correspondence with the Rogachover on various Talmudic and Halachic issues. Later he published the collection of letters in his book "Ner Avraham", of which there are dozens! Letters written to him by the Rogachover.
(See also in the book Rayim Ahuvim about his connections with the Gaon)
He married Bat-Ya, daughter of Rabbi Eliezer Popko, who was Head of the Beis Din in Velizsh in Russia and later Rabbi in Philadelphia, and Pesha Chaya, daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Sapir.
In 1939 he immigrated to the United States and settled in Boston. In 1944 he was appointed the head of the court in Boston and served in his position until he passed. He was a member of the Rabbinical Association in the United States and a member of the presidency of the Radin Yeshiva Student Association.
He was a prolific author of Torah literature in various fields. He often engaged in the Jerusalem Talmud and authored several books on its issues. He was close to the ultra-orthodox community and his name was put forward as a candidate for the office of the Rabbi of the ultra-Orthodox community. He was also close to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and met with him several times.
He died in 1951, and in his will he asked not to be eulogized. His coffin was brought to Israel and he was buried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
His son Rabbi Yosef is the head of a Torah Voda'as yeshiva in New York. His son-in-law Rabbi Shmuel Arons is head of the Kollel in Detroit.
Please note: We have endeavored to inquire with the family of the Gaon Rabbi Mordchai, but they have never heard that he had the Tefillin of the Rogachover.
We do not believe the attribution to be credible & It is being sold as is.
