Bidspirit auction | Pair of Fine Wall Cabinets,

Pair of Fine Wall Cabinets, Bezalel - Pair of fine and unique wall cabinets by Bezalel, Jerusalem, c. 1915. Made of wood and brass and adorned with elaborate embosses of arabesques, flora motifs and Stars of David. Bearing a Hebrew inscription: ”Three things increase a man's self-esteem: a beautiful dwelling, a beautiful wife, and beautiful clothes” (Berakoth 57b). Both cabinets have an upper compartment with oriental-looking window openings. One cabinet has a lower shelf supported by two pillars. The other cabinet has a lower compartment with a door, adorned with embosses of Stars of David surrounded by flora motifs. Dimensions: height: 88 cm, length: 65 cm, width: 26 cm. Very good condition, wear and minor flaws to wood. Provenance: Caspi Family collection. The cabinets bear an unusual Bezalel mark (”Batei Melacha Bezalel Yerushalem”, in English: ”Workshops of Bezalel Jerusalem”), ”possibly due to the unusual pride of their makers, who didn't want to simply sign ”Bezalel” on this large work carried out by special commission” (from the catalog of the exhibition: ”Schatz's Bezalel 1906-1926”, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1983, p. 244), items no. 916-917 (p. 79) in the list of exhibits attached to the catalog.