Drafting Tools of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – Used in Paris and New York, during His Studies and Work as an Electrical ...

Drafting Tools of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – Used in Paris and New York, during His Studies and Work as an Electrical Engineer – Letter of authenticity by R. Shalom Dov Ber (Barry) Gurary

Five sets, containing dozens of diverse drafting and measuring tools, placed in original cases. Made by different firms in Germany and the USA: E. O. Richter., Eugene Dietzgen, Keuffel & Esser, and Tower – [ca. 1920s-1940s]. T

he sets include various drafting tools, which were used by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the future Lubavitcher Rebbe), while he was studying electrical engineering in Paris, and later, while working as an electrical engineer on American Navy ships in New York.

Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by the Rebbes nephew, R. Shalom Dovber (Barry) Gurary (1923-2005), the only grandson of Rebbe Rayatz (son of his daughter, Rebbetzin Chana, and her husband, R. Shemaryahu Gurary – the Rashag): "I hereby gift… the drafting tools sets my uncle used in Paris and New York. He gave it to me after his father passed away and he gave up his Job as an electrical engineer. I spent hours watching him use these drafting tools and was fascinated by it". Dated – January 30, 1991.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the future Lubavitcher Rebbe), began his studies in the local gymnasium and university of his native town, Yekaterinoslav [today Dnipro, Ukraine], and later took courses in the shipbuilding department of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. During his time in Berlin (1927-1933), he attended lectures in philosophy and mathematics in the Friedrich Wilhelm University (today, the Humboldt University), while at the same time studying at the Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary (Rabbiner-Seminar zu Berlin). Following the Nazi seizure of control in Germany, he moved to Paris, where he studied at the ESTP (École Spéciale des Travaux Publics), taking courses in geometry, infinitesimal calculus, chemistry, physics, mathematics, electricity and design; he received his mechanical and electrical engineering diploma in 1938. In the month of Sivan, 1941, the Rebbe managed to escape Europe. He immigrated to the USA and settled in the court of his father-in-law, the Rebbe Rayatz, located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY. During his early years in the USA, parallel to his work in the official Chabad institutes, the future Lubavitcher Rebbe was employed as an electrical engineer by the American Navy in New York. According to the enclosed letter of authenticity, signed by the Rebbe's nephew, R. Barry Gurary, the present drafting tools were used by the Lubavitcher Rebbe during his studies in Paris, and later on, while he was employed by the American Navy in New York. [After the Rebbe discontinued his work as engineer, these drafting and measuring tools were passed on to his nephew, Barry Gurary, who may have used them in his own scientific work.]

Size and condition vary.