A German Arts and Crafts Wrought Iron Hannukah Lamp, retailed by Rosa Freudenthal, Breslau, circa 1921

Sotheby’s, New York, Important Judaica ;Works of Art, New York, June 27, 1984, lot 221

Jay Weinstein, A Collector’s Guide to Judaica ,1985, p.25 no. 15 illus.. Weinstein notes “this attractive piece is well made and designed, and is quite rare, since the Arts and Crafts movement had a very limited impact on Judaica design”

This lamp or another of this model is featured in an advertisement for the shop Kunstgewerbestube Freudenthal (Freudenthal Arts and Crafts Room), Breslau, in Jüdische Rundschau XXVI (1921) Issue 95 (29.11.1921) page 682. The shop was run by Rosa Freudenthal, registered with the Breslau Jewish Community, who created and sold games for children to familiarize them with the Jewish holidays, and also stocked ritual items. In 1921 she organized an "Exhibit of Jewish Religious Objects" that included both home and synagogue pieces. It featured modern artists, men and women, from all over Germany: Mendelssohn (Hellerau), Leo Horovitz (Frankfurt), Friedrich Adler (Hamburg), Wonka (Breslau), Rosa Weyl (Breslau), Mrs. Zadikow (Munich), Erna Selten (Breslau). Antique objects from Willy Falk’s private collection, from the Soldin synagogue and the Kirschstein (Nikolassee) were also on display.

The advertisement specifically mentions Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alfred Grotte, an architect, researcher, and author, who was responsible for the renovation of the Maisel synagogue in Prague. He is not listed anywhere as designing Judaica, but the wrought iron material of this piece, so similar to architectural ironwork, could reinforce the authorship suggested by the layout of the advertisement.