Unique artisan brass Hanukkah lamp Menorah, in Ludwig Wolpert style, Israel, C. 1950.
Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert (1900-1981)
Sculptor and designer of Jewish ritual objects.
Born in 1900 in Hildesheim, Germany, to a traditional Jewish family. From 1916 until 1920 he studied sculpture in Frankfurt-am-Main’s Kunstgewerbeschule, School for Arts and Crafts.
After several years of independent work as a sculptor, he returned to the School of Arts and Crafts to study metalwork under the silversmith Leo Horowitz. Wolpert decided to devote himself to Jewish ceremonial art, applying the new trends of that time.
In 1930 he created his first work with Hebrew lettering, a Passover plate for the Seder table, made from silver, ebony, and glass.
In 1933 he immigrated to Palestine. In 1935 he became a professor at the New Bezalel Academy for Arts and Crafts in Jerusalem.
His teaching stressed simplicity and functional purity of design.
In 1956 he was invited to the Jewish Museum in New York by Drs. Abraham Kanof and Stephen Kaiser.
There he established and was designated director of the Tobe Pascher Workshop, which is devoted to the creation of modern Jewish ceremonial art.
The bronze gates of the synagogue at the Kennedy International Airport, in New York, 1968
Ludwig Wolpert authentic Hanukkah Menorahs
Hanukkah Menorahs in Ludwig Wolpert style
Art Deco Hanukkah Menorahs
Collection of menorahs at the Jewish Museum in Frankfurt.
[...] main symbol of Chanukah, the menorah gets the spotlight on Rubell’s Antiques blog, featuring some great vintage menorahs designed by Ludwig Wolpert in a very art-deco style. Jew [...]
Dear Rubell. The quality of your research, the original
objects you own and the way you choose to show them
is really amazing!
Bravo! Go on with it!
Dear Luba , thanks for your wonderful comments!
Thank you for providing this wonderful research to the public. My Grandmother grew up in a small village in Germany. When she came to the U.S., she reunited with her best friend (from her village in Germany), Betty. Betty married Ludwig Wolpert; consequently, I grew up knowing my Grandmother’s friends as Tante Betty and Uncle Ludwig.
My husband and I were given an oil Menorah from Tante Betty as an engagement present. It is a sterling silver and lucite Menorah, with class bulbs (for oil). I happen to collect Menorahs, but this one is extra-special because it was designed and handcrafted by Uncle Ludwig. We will treasure it always!
Good to hear about your deep story. Thanks for writing!