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Subject: Folk art


Business Card: Solomon & Roth, Griffin, Georgia Business Card: Solomon & Roth, Griffin, Georgia

This business card for Solomon & Roth in Griffin, Georgia, is unusual in that it appears to be a hand-drawn calling card. The card features a pencil sketch of an American eagle, with 'Griffin, Ga.' inscribed inside a wreath above the eagle's head. The style is simple but evocative of folk art. The image is rendered on the glossy stock of a typical business card. The back of the card is blank.

Embroidered Tefillin Bag, 1894 Embroidered Tefillin Bag, 1894

Hand-embroidered tefillin bag featuring birds and flowers. Includes a line of Hebrew text and the date 1894. Discovered in New York City; origin possibly European or American. Measures approximately 10" x 8.5".

Papercut artwork depicting lions, birds, and trees; signed by Ludwig Goldstein, June 12, 1897 Papercut artwork depicting lions, birds, and trees; signed by Ludwig Goldstein, June 12, 1897

A colored papercut artwork depicting lions, birds, and trees. The artwork is signed by Ludwig Goldstein and dated June 12, 1897. The inscription also includes the phrase "To Winne White for good teaching;...NY boy and girl." The art of papercutting is believed to be the quintessential expression of European Jewish folk art. Eastern European Jewish papercuts assumed many different forms and exhibited a wealth of themes and motifs, to fit a wide range of purposes. They were used as "Mizrah" and "Shiviti" plaques; "Yahrzeit" plaques; "Shir HaMa'alot" plaques, believed to give protection to childbearing mothers and newborns; "roizalakh" (rose-shaped ornaments) to decorate the household during the Shavuot holiday; "Ushpizin" plaques for the holiday of Sukkot; and other forms of items.