Bidspirit auction | Rare Kashrut Seal (Plumba), Zhitomir,

Rare Kashrut Seal (Plumba), Zhitomir, 19th Century - This rare kashrut seal, known as a plumba, served as a mark of kosher certification, placed on various goods—most notably food products such as meat or flour—to signify their approval for kosher consumption. This particular seal originates from the renowned Jewish town of Zhitomir, a city famous for its significant rabbinic history and for the volumes of seforim published there by distinguished rabbanim, including Rabbi Moshe Shapiro and his grandsons. The seal was affixed to a sack of flour intended for Passover use. On one side, it bears the Hebrew inscription: “קמח פסח זיטאמיר” (“Pesach Flour, Zhitomir”), framed with a pair of small Stars of David. The reverse side reads: “רחיים ח”ג האלאדענק”, designating the mill and production details. The seal is crafted in a rounded form, ivory-tan in color, with chipping along the edges due to its age. The inscriptions appear pressed into the surface, typical of the sealing process. Such a plumba would have been essential in affirming that the flour was properly supervised and fit for the baking of matzot on Passover—a rare and historic remnant of Jewish communal life in 19th-century Eastern Europe.