Creatively made Shmirot cup is decorated with two rampant lions poised on waving standards flanking a crowned cartouche at front center. Cartouche is engraved in Hebrew "שמור וזכור זכרהו על היין" which is translated to " Observe and Commemorate (The Shabbat), Commemoration (should be) celebrated with wine".
On opposite side the artist fantastically engraves a replica of the shul in sadigura with its two towers and larger center structure fronted by a life-like brick wall.
Above the shul structure the artist engraved the owners name as well as from where he received these Shmirot coins to make this Kiddush cup.
Written in Hebrew at top: "שייך ל’ר יונה קראפט נעשה מן שמרות של אד"ומ"ור מסאדאגארא" which translates to " this Cup belongs to R’ Yonah Kraft, and was made entirely from Shemirot coins which were received from the our holy and esteemed Rebbe from Sadigura".
Most Shemirot Cups only list the fact they were made from Shemirot coins maybe a owners name sometimes, it is very rare to see a Shemirot cup which tells us where and who the Shemirot coins came from to make the cup. In this case we know that this cup was made entirely from Shemirot coins which were received from the Alter Sadigura Rebbe Harav Yaakov Friedman Zt"l.
The snuff box is of rectangular form and is engraved in a an identical fashion as the Shemorot cup. Depicted on the hinged cover is the picture of the surrounding scene of the synagogue in Sadigura with two towers and the huge main structure fronted by a brick wall. A couple trees are engraved at its side with a building at left. At side and underneath the box is a checkered engraved design with the letters M.F. at the bottom.
Both this cup and snuffbox were engraved by the same hand, and both show the same building structure; the massive Shul of the Ruzhiner Rebbe in the city of Sadhora (Sadigura in Yiddish), Bukovina, Austria. The naïve depiction of the crowned lions flanking the cartouche indicates the cup is both intended for drinking wine and is a Shmirah cup from the Sadigura Rebbe. The person who designed this cup and snuffbox was not a professional artist , however the owner of this cup was such a fervent Sadigura Chassid, that he took it upon himself to engrave from where the silver originated from to make these pieces. A historically important pair relating to a famed Chassidic dynasty!
When the rabbinical leader of a community (the Rebbe) has a favorite follower or student, he would give him some of his silver coins or silver eating utensils. The recipient would take these coins or utensils to a silversmith to make them into a cup or if he was given a significant gift, a menorah. More often than not, the coins were scarce so the cups made were small. These “Shmirot” cups were held in great esteem since their silver content had been previously owned by a Tzaddik, a holy person. An added holiness would, therefore, be bestowed upon the user during the recitation of the Kiddush on the Sabbath and Holidays.
Marked at base of Cup, snuff box is apparently unmarked.
Cup: 7 Cm H.
Snuff box:6.5 Cm L., 4 Cm W., 2.5 Cm H.
4.57 Oz Total weight.
Cup: Overall Good condition, some scratches and small dents.
Snuff box: Overall Fair condition, some scratches and dents, repairs to cover and side of cover.
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