An authentic mid-20th-century Mandate Palestine Machzor (festival prayer book) for Rosh Hashanah, published by the prominent Lewin-Epstein Bros. & Co., Ltd., Jerusalem. Printed according to the Ashkenaz rite (Nusach Ashkenaz), titled Sfat Emet.

The book is bound in its original textured brown faux-leather / leatherette cover featuring a iconic Bezalel-school arched copper plaque inset into the front cover. The hammered/stamped relief depicts the Citadel of Jerusalem (Tower of David / Migdal David). Underneath the plaque, blind-stamped gold foil text reads in Hebrew:

• בצלאל ירושלם (Bezalel Yerushalayim)

• מגדל דוד (Migdal David)

The title page features the classic Lewin-Epstein framed design with twin palm trees flanking the city skyline of Jerusalem. The facing publication mark explicitly states in English and Hebrew: "PRINTED AND PUBLISHED IN PALESTINE BY LEWIN-EPSTEIN BROS. AND CO., LTD. JERUSALEM."

Age & Date Determination

• Era: British Mandate Period, circa 1930s–1940s (pre-1948 statehood).

• Dating Evidence: The explicit publisher attribution "Printed and Published in Palestine" by Lewin-Epstein Bros. and Co., Ltd., Jerusalem establishes a firm date range between the late 1930s and 1947, immediately prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948, after which publishing lines were changed to "Printed in Israel."

Material & Dimensions

• Materials: Embossed leather/leatherette binding, hammered relief copper plaque inset, gilt/foil border embellishments, woven endpapers, paper text block.

• Dimensions: Approximately 4" x 5" (Pocket/Compact size).

Condition

• Overall: Excellent vintage condition for age and material.

• Cover/Binding: Solid, tight binding with intact spine and clean cloth headband. Minor rubbing along the outer spine folds and edge corners.

• Plaque: Copper relief remains sharp with dark original patina in recessed areas and slight verdigris/copper oxidation tone.

• Text Block: Pages are bright, intact, and well-bound. Minor age-toning and faint water/handling marks on the outer page edges (visible when closed), not affecting legibility. Free of major tears or scribbles.

Authenticity Assessment

This piece displays all classic hallmarks of authentic Yishuv-era Bezalel and Lewin-Epstein production. The inset copper plaque exhibits period-correct repoussé/stamped relief geometry with proper age patina and micro-oxidation around the recessed perimeter. The publisher's mark (Lewin-Epstein Bros. and Co., Ltd. Jerusalem) on the reverse title page confirms pre-1948 printing in Mandate Palestine. The typography, paper stock, and gold-foil framing border align precisely with known 1930s–1940s Jerusalem bindery output.

ReferenceBook Title: Bezalel 1906–1929

• Author / Editor: Nurit Shilo-Cohen

• Page / Reference: pp. 245–252 (Section detailing Bezalel metalwork motifs, repoussé copper plaques, and Jerusalem architectural icons including the Tower of David produced for book bindings and ceremonial arts).

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