An Israeli-made Yossi Swed brass and silver menorah that belonged to the late Albert Joseph “A.J.” Goulder, of Scottsdale, will be auctioned on May 4 at EJ’s Auction & Appraisal in Glendale.
Photo credit: Jimmy Garcia/EJ’s Auction & Appraisal.
Precious heirloom pieces belonged to
A.J. Goulder of Scottsdale
A stunning, 20th century Yossi Swed limited edition silver galleon-form Havdalah set, a Yossi Swed brass and sterling silver menorah, and an antique atlas dating back to the 1700s that belonged to the late Albert Joseph “A.J.” Goulder, of Scottsdale, are three unique items going up for auction on Saturday, May 4 at EJ’s Auction & Appraisal, 5880 W. Bell Road, in Glendale. The online auction begins at 10 a.m., and bidding is open now.
Goulder owned A. J. Goulder Electric Co. in Arizona, Ohio, and Nevada, and he was also a Brangus cattle breeder at his TK Bar Ranch in Kirkland Junction, Arizona, and in Israel. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and served proudly as an ensign in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific during World War II. An accomplished musician who played the clarinet and saxophone, he also attended Miami University of Ohio and Harvard.
His daughter, Mindy Scheel, of Phoenix, said he was a collector of unusual items, and he was especially fond of Judaica.
“Whenever my father would visit Israel, he loved to shop at Yossi’s store in Jerusalem. He purchased the brass and silver menorah first and gifted it to his mother. The Havdalah set was so exquisite, it was displayed at our home. We’re not sure where he purchased the atlas, but I remember him telling me to hold onto it as it was rare, very old, and valuable. Individual pages are often framed. This is rare as the book contains all the maps in its entirety,” Mindy Scheel said.
The silver galleon-form Havdalah set comes with a letter dated July 17, 1984, from Yossi Swed to Mr. Goulder explaining where to find the hidden items aboard the ship. The letterhead shows the master workshop as “Yossi’s Jewelry Antiques Judaica & Art” located on King David Street in Jerusalem.
The Havdalah set includes the original mirrored base, artist markings, and the galleon is numbered 6/6. Inside the ship’s secret compartments are six small Passover plates, a Kiddush cup, a Hanukkah menorah with its Shammas at the front of the deck (the cannons), two Shabbat candle holders and a goblet hidden inside the ship’s hull, a spice box disguised as a deck house, and an oil lamp disguised as the prow. The dreidel is disguised as the helmsman’s wheel, and the candleholders are disguised as the crow’s nest. The rings are disguised as the binnacle. The total combined weight of the ship and base is approximately 133.8 troy ounces, which equates to 8.36 pounds.
An antique atlas that belonged to the late Albert Joseph “A.J.” Goulder, of Scottsdale, will be auctioned on May 4 at EJ’s Auction & Appraisal in Glendale.
Photo credit: Jimmy Garcia/EJ’s Auction & Appraisal.
“The significance of the hidden religious pieces exemplified how the Jewish people were forced to hide their religious beliefs,” Scheel said.
The limited-edition Yossi Swed partial gilt silver and glass 20th century menorah is numbered 4/48. The latched doors open to allow access to the eight oil lamps and oil ewer as well as a small tankard. The crown has a pair of secret doors, one with nine bobèches to convert the oil lamps into candle holders, and the other side opens to reveal a dreidel. There is also a dedication in Hebrew on the bottom.
“My father’s Jewish heritage was very important to him, and he always revered Yossi’s craftsmanship,” Scheel said. “We hope these special pieces will go to someone who is as passionate as he was about collecting Judaica and history.”
Erik Hoyer owns EJ’s Auction & Appraisal in Glendale. Contact him at erik@ejsauction.com, www.ejsauction.com or 623-878-2003.
