Furniture

This wonderful, elegantly shaped with a flared rim vase , by Daum Nancy, features wheel-carved cameo glass of the highest quality detailing an amazing pink roses, or rose of France ...

very big and massive bronze door knocker, German or maybe Italian in origin, 16-17th century, amazing green original patina to the face, some scares and dings to the face which gives...

this plate has a creme white background, the center painted with a man holding a lamb before a cityscape, probably a depiction of Jerusalem by someone who never actually visited the city or even see it, under the man there is the word Passover "פסח" the rim with the order of the Seder, and some grape vines between them. Passover, also called Pesach ( Biblical Hebrew: חַג הַפֶּסַח‎, romanized: Ḥag haPesaḥ), is a major Jewish holiday, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt. Pesach starts on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan which is considered the first month of the Hebrew year. The Hebrew calendar...

A fine quality antique Russian Imperial silver tea caddy, engraved and hand Embossed in the classical Russian style, or even islamic ta...

Rare and extremely important Russian silver paper knife, it was probably made as a presentation gift to someone in the royal family, either the British or the Russian, the knife was ...

Amazing and scarce JUDAICA object, we have here one of the most touching jewish objects we had for a long time, this small silver dowry box was made in Algeria in the early 19th century, it is all covered with symbols of jewish faith and of couples, the sliding lid has 2 flanking birds with hamsa (protective hand) on each side and a flower vase in the middle. one side shows two flanking lions with a tree in the middle and the other side shows again two big and two small birds with a flower bowl in the middle, front side has a key hole and next to it there is the Hebrew inscription ס״ט״" which says Siman tov or in English "a good sign" it is taken from the wedding blessing, underneath the lock there is another inscription with the name ״עזיזה בת אברהם בן חמו״ which is the name of the bride, her father and her grandfathers name. the box is full marked a lot of times with the silversmith mark, every side of the box is marked. this box was probably ordered by the grooms family to hold the jewelry they are giving to the bride as dowry, this type of objects are rare and there are just a few of them on museum collections. DOWRY (Heb. נְדֻנְיָה), the property a wife brings to her husband at marriage; the Yiddish equivalent, nadn, is from the same root. The custom of nedunyah became clearly defined and institutionalized only in the talmudic period. In biblical times, mohar (מֹהַר), whereby the groom bought his wife from her father (Gen. 24:53; Ex. 22:15–16; Hos. 3:2), was the accepted practice. It was then customary that the groom give the bride gifts, and that she bring certain property to her husband's home upon marriage: slaves, cattle, real estate, etc. (cf. Gen. 24:59–61; 29; Judg. 1:14ff.; I Kings 9:16). Evidence of the custom of nedunyah is to be found in Tobit (7:14; 8:21) and in the Assuan papyri (Cowley, Aramaic, nos. 15, 18). Gradually, mohar was superseded by the ketubbah custom according to which the husband merely assumed the responsibility of compensation to his wife in case he divorced her: he had to pay her 200 zuzim if she had been a virgin at the time of marriage, and 100 zuzim if a widow or divorcée (see *Ketubbah). By talmudic times, the institution of nedunyah was prevalent; the father gave a dowry to the bride since the daughter was excluded from paternal inheritance. Fifty zuzim (equivalent to the worth of 180 grams of silver) was the minimum amount a father was obliged to give to his daughter (Ket. 6:5). Parents usually gave much more, according to their social standing. Community funds provided the dowry for an orphan or a very poor girl (ibid.; cf. Sh. Ar., YD 251:8). In case of her father's death, the brothers of a minor girl were obliged to give her the minimum dowry, and the court estimated how much her father would have given her above the minimum dowry. The sum was then taken out of the father's estate and given to the daughter upon majority (Ket. 6:6; 68a–69b). In the absence of such an estimate, each daughter was entitled to receive one-tenth of the value of her father's estate in money, or in valuables (Yad, Ishut, 20:4–7; Sh. Ar., EH 113:4). If the father was unable or unwilling to pay the promised dowry at the betrothal ceremony, the groom could refuse to marry his bride (Ket. 13:5; Ket. 108b–109a). Insistence on exact payment of the promised dowry, however, was frowned upon by later rabbinic authorities (Rema to Sh. Ar., EH 2:1). In certain communities it was customary for the groom's father to make a dowry contribution equal to that of the bride's father (Ket. 102b). The dowry, whether given in real estate, slaves, money, or chattel was recorded in the marriage contract (the ketubbah) and in some instances one-third or one-fifth of the actual value of the dowry was added to the sum mentioned in the ketubbah. Based upon a decree enacted by *Simeon b. Shetah (first century C.E.), the Talmud ruled that the husband and his entire property were liable for compensation as stipulated in the ketubbah, either in case he died (when she collected the sum specified in the ketubbah from the heirs) or in case he divorced his wife (Ket. 82b). For the status of the dowry and the husband's rights and obligations, see below. The rabbinic enactments (Takkanot Shum) by R. Jacob *Tam and by the rabbinic synod of the communities of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz (Germany) stipulated that if a woman died...

An attractive late 19th Century cameo glass vase of low but wide form cut with decorative red cyclamen flowers against a warm yellow background with excellent hand finished detail an...

very rare Bezalel Jerusalem plate , this amazing plate has the best subject And artistic Design i have seen in a lot of years, the plate has 5 different scenes from the story Of Adam...

amazing rare archaistic style silver ewer or tea pot with cover, the design is Of archaistic style dragons on the main frieze and on the cover, this style came from ancient Chinese a...

Important and rare Sivlonot belt, gilded silver, made by the famous silversmith Johann Mathias Sandrat active in 1707-1723 in Frankfurt, Germany. this JUDAICA object is a museum piece and An almost identical belt with a replaced buckle is exhibited in the Israel museum and came from the important Feuchtwanger Collection, purchased and donated by Baruch and Ruth Rappaport, Geneva. the belt also bears 2 Christies auction stickers with the number 120, probably lot # 120, indicating it was sold in one of their auction rooms at some point. Sivlonot (wedding) belt: In Rabbinic literature, sivlonot refers to gifts the groom gave his wife-to-be. Among German Jews...

super rare and historic example of Cyprus stone carving, made by jewish holocaust surviver that was Detained at the Internment camps in Cyprus, just 3 years after the holocaust. this piece is very unusual, most of this carvings shows us aspects of living in the Refugee camps or zionist views of israel, sometimes they even made judaica objects like menorahs Or Candlesticks, but its rare to find memorial plaques such as the example in front of us, the plaques was Damaged In the way to israel and two pieces from the upper section were broken off, the middle part of the Plaque shows a Scroll shaped memorial plaque with the inscription : "for the dead who died on the name of god" In red color, the middle has a yellow star carved and painted, just like the yellow star jewish...

One of the earliest spice towers we could find, it is very rare to see judaica from the 17th century, and this 1690s spice tower is super scarce, a true gem of Baroque silver and ba...

A RARE SILVER SHMIROT KIDDUSH CUP. Galician, c. 1850. Among some Hassidic courts, it was a practice for the Rabbi to give a blessed silver coin to his Hassidim as an amulet. Such protection might be given for all manner of life events, from healing from an illness to success in travel and the amulet was carried on the body of the recipient. This custom was particularly popular among the Ryzhiner Hassidim and these coins were called "Shmirot". To such coins were attributed extraordinary power and value and they were treasured with great care and love. this cup is marked with polish loth 12 mark which indicate silver content of 75%. Size : Height 2.3 inch / 6 cm Width : 2 inch / 5 cm After the specific event for which they had originally be given, such a coin or coins were used in the making of other objects, which maintained the special aura of the Rabbi. Such a coin would be melted in other silver with the amuletic valued being spread evenly to all the silver. Then a ritual object would be fashioned by a silversmith and the special nature of the item would be inscribed on it, indicating in one of several ways that this object had been made from "Shmirot". this objects include Kiddish cups, a Havdalah tray, a Shabbat salt holder, a Chanukkah Menorah, a Torah crown etc. This object is a Kiddish cup fashioned from such silver. On this cup, the inscription indicating Shmirot is found in the abbreviation of the words "made from shmirot k (kodesh)' " (This is the cup of Shmirot). Such cups were used for blessing the wine so that each use renewed the power of protection granted by the Rabbi. This cup was used for the blessing over wine on Shabbat and holidays. Inscription: the other iconography on the cup is of a lion that represent Through the tribe of Judah, the lion symbol came to represent the blessing, majesty, and even divine protection of the Jews. The lion symbol continued to be used even after the destruction of Jerusalem, the capital of Judah's nation, and a unicorn or a re'em, also reëm (Hebrew: רְאֵם), is an animal mentioned nine times in the Hebrew Bible It has been translated as "unicorn" in the Latin Vulgate, King James Version, and in some Christian Bible translations as "oryx" (which was accepted as the referent in Modern Hebrew),[citation needed] "wild ox", "wild bull", "buffalo" or "rhinoceros". Rabbi Natan Slifkin has argued that the re'em was an aurochs, as has Isaac Asimov...

An attractive late 19th Century cameo glass vase of elongated square form cut with decorative burgundy and red flowers against a warm yellow background with excellent hand finished d...

This 84 silver cup was made in Europe, in Poland or parts of Poland that are in modern Russia in the 19th century, the interesting and important in this cup types is that they were s...

the body of this small marvelous vase is painted with a scene of a puppet show vendor with his wood backpack, on top of the backpack there are toys and dolls, he is surrounded with a group of 6 children, and on the background you can see a village. on the other side of the vase there is an amazing painting of flowers and on the sides there are two amazing strong pine trees, the amorphous background is decorated in a "Tortoiseshell" color and design that gives it a real character and which is quite rare to see on satsuma pottery. all the vase is over richly overpainted over the glaze with gold, which gives it its depth and realism. signed Kyoto Kinkozan zo, and sealed Kinkozan zo Kyoto’s Satsuma: The painting technique used in Kyoto’s Satsuma-style ware is said to be the invention of the sixth generation Kinkōzan Sōbei (1824–1884). The Kinkōzan were a famous family of Kyoto Awataguchi potters who made ceramics that were used at Shōren'in, a temple closely tied to the imperial family, and by the shoguns of the Edo government. In fact the shogun is said to have granted them the name Kinkōzan. With the upheavals at the end of the Edo period, however, and the reforms of the subsequent Meiji government, the potters lost their traditional patrons and had to develop new markets. Just at that time, the visit of a certain Westerner is said to have decided them to embark on overseas trade. By 1870, they had perfected Kyō Satsuma...

Very attractive German silver mounted on an antler, cigar cutter This cigar cutter is designed as oak leaves falling on the antler and in the middle There is a game bird of some kind hung from it, very realistic and well made. This kind of objects were made in Germany and Austria so they can be given as High end gifts, used as a display piece with function in men clubs...

extremely rare french silver presentation plate/ dinner plate. this important plate is one of the best quality work and engraving i have ever seen in my life, the outer rim is all adorned and ornate with flowers in neoclassical style, and the actual plate is all hand engraved with the most incredible engraving with gold plating on just the engraved patterns what makes the plate looks like the gold plated part is 3 dimensional. This important plate was made in paris by the famous silver master Maurice Mayer...

Decorative Passover plate by Heinrich Schwed. Munich, 1924. ALPACA, etched. This Large plate, featuring a round medallion in the center, with a Matzah which in this plate is hand c...

Tzedakah box of flattened oviform shape (round fish shape) , amazing sleek and Modernistic design. just a masterpiece of design. Pierced with stylized H...

This rare and exceptional George III teapot is the work of preeminent Georgian silversmith Paul Storr, it is one of his earliest works, the date mark on this pieces of the year 1793 which is the first year Storr marked items with his own initials (P S) The teapot is designed in the neoclassical taste with some Chinese influences, or Chinoiserie taste, even the figure on the cover of the teapot is Chinese. It is very hard to impossible to find works from this early period with this interesting Royalty provenance. The family crest on the front is of the Tollemache family, and dating of The teapot indicate It belonged and probably commissioned by or as a gift to William Manners Tollemache, Lord Huntingtower, William, On 12 January 1793, at the Age of 26, he Was created a Baronet, of Hanby Hall in the County of Lincoln. So this teapot was commissioned to celebrate the occasion. William Manners Tollemache: Lord Huntingtower (19 May 1766 – 11 March 1833), known as Sir William Manners, Bt, between 1793 and 1821, was a British nobleman And Tory politician. Born William Manners, he was the eldest son of John Manners and Louisa Tollemache, 7th Countess of Dysart. On 12 January 1793, at the age of 26, he was Ceated a Baronet, of Hanby Hall in the County of Lincoln.On his mother's Succession to the earldom in 1821, he was styled Lord Huntingtower, and adopted The surname of Talmash or Tollemache Paul Storr: (baptised 28 October 1770 in London – 18 March 1844 in London) was an English goldsmith and silversmith working in the Neoclassical and other styles During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. His works range from Simple tableware to magnificent sculptural pieces made for royalty Paul Storr was England's most celebrated silversmith during the first half of the Nineteenth century and his legacy lives on today. His pieces historically and Currently adorn royal palaces and the finest stately homes throughout Europe and The world. Storr's reputation rests on his mastery of the grandiose neo-Classical Style developed in the Regency period. He quickly became the most prominent Silversmith of the nineteenth century, producing much of the silver purchased by King George III and King George IV. Storr entered his first mark in the first part of 1792, which reflects his short-lived partnership with William Frisbee. Soon after, he Began to use his PS mark, which he maintained throughout his career with only Minor changes. His first major work was a gold font commissioned by the Duke of Portland...

This is a rare chance to own a piece of important "ZULOAGA WARE" (The preservation of damascening in Spain was almost entirely due to the genius of a single family, the Zuloagas ) or "Toledo gold...

This is an important and super rare picture frame, all hand made from silver, by the way the work was done and by the design it was hand made by Zeev Raban, in the last picture you c...

Important Handmade sterling silver Kiddush goblet by Bezalel School, Jerusalem, Circa 1910-1913. On the cup there are 3 identical scenes of flanked lions and on the middle of them There are two columns with a staircase, this design is probably taken from Eastern European torah ark, on the middle part there is a chandelier with 3 tiger/lioness Heads, the top of the cup has 3 inscription on top of each flanking lions scene, first One says : ״כוס ישועות אשא״ (Psalms 116:13) which means " I will take the cup of Salvation", this is a rather common blessing on kiddush cups. Next inscription says : ״אין שמחה אלא ביין״ in English " there is no joy except in wine" This says that after the temple was destroyed we have our joy only in the wine of Kiddish. The last inscription says ״ושמחת בחגך״ (Deuteronomy 16:14 ) in English : "And you shall rejoice in your festival". So this cup is a kiddish cup...

Very rare and important Austrian silver, from its golden age of the late 19th century to the early 20th century, this Hanukah lamp is hand with chased dra...

Rare and exceptional example of early russian Judaica, this torah shield or tas is made From 84 silver, has the marks of the city of saint Petersburg, together with the makers Mark o...

We are offering here this perfectly designed pair of sterling silver candlesticks, all hand Hammered in a fine and sleek Bauhaus design, the candlesticks were made after Gumbel Left his work in the bezalel school of arts in Jerusalem, they date from the 60s'. This pair will be an amazing addition to any Judaica or silver collection, and will be Amazing in any house with their Bauhaus, delicate hammered sleek design. The candlesticks are both marked 925 for sterling silver and the latter "G" in Hebrew for "Gumbel" Measurements: Height : 9.7 inch / 24.8 cm Width : 3.6 inch / 9.1 cm Master silversmith David Heinz Gumbel, was born in Sinsheim, Germany, near Heidelberg. He studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Berlin-Charlottenberg from 1927 to 1931. Although Gumbel did not actually study at the Bauhaus, he was profoundly Influenced by its teachings and incorporated its design aesthetic into his silver and Judaica. In 1934 Gumbel fled Nazi Germany and moved to Palestine. As a member of the Faculty of the recently opened New Bezalel School in Jerusalem, he joined a group of Highly cultured artists and colleagues who worked under the directorship of Joseph Budko, a craftsman who championed the modernist aesthetic. Gumbel taught Silversmithing, hammered work, and jewelry design at Bezalel, and retired in 1955. His Personal style always remained classic modern -- his objects emphasize streamlined Design and graceful contours. He was born in Sinsheim to a secular family among the pioneers of the local silversmith Industry. In 1918, the Gumbels relocated to Heilbronn where David worked as an Apprentice in the "Bruckmann & Sons" factory, becoming a certified steel engraver. In the late 1920s, Gumbel studied to be a silversmith at the school of applied arts in Berlin At the Kunstgewerbeschule. Following his studies, Gumbel was employed at workshops In Düsseldorf and Stockholm, as well as in the family factory in Heilbronn. It was there that Gumbel began to design hand-made silver pieces in the modern style. Simultaneously, He produced Jewish ritual objects like a Chanukah menorah or candlesticks. Gumbel Utilized polished silver and other materials, such as ivory, in his works. In 1936, Gumbel left Germany for Land of Israel, joining the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design as a teacher and the administrator of the metal department, alongside Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert...

ÉMILE GALLÉ (1846-1904) Rare and important 'Iris' Vase, circa 1900 Overlaid cameo and fire polished glass, well documented in books and exhibitions Signed in cameo Gallé. Measuremen...

This treasure chest shaped box is luxuriously decorated and dates from the final decades Of the Imperial period. The box was produced by the workshop of Maria Semonova and Is formed of 875 grade silver with silver-gilt utilised throughout. the box is of traditional Shape, having two hinged handles and a clasp, boxes like this were used in treasurys Around the globe in the early days to keep valuables inside, this small box can be used To hold tobacco or just sit on your table as a statement piece, a great addition to any Silver and especially Russian silver collection. The exterior surface of the box is profusely decorated with polychrome cloisonné Enamel, the cloisons set into a variety of shapes, such as scrolling arabesques, and Infilled with shaded enamel in tones of red, blue, and Semenova’s idiosyncratic violet. The cloisons are bounded by silver-gilt rope twist cloison wire. The underside of the box Is marked with ‘MC’ for Semonova’s workshop, ‘84’ for 87.5% silver with a Kokoshnik mark (Kokoshnik is a traditional Russian head...

Very rare and important piece of Israeli modern Judaica, a bauhaus style silver Hanukkah Lamp made by the famous jewish silversmith Eli Gera, made from hand bent And hand Forged silver in the 70s, while other works by Gera were multiplied by him, from What we Know this piece is a one of a kind. Marked "SILVER 925" and ELI GERA in Hebrew and English on a small silver plaque on the base. Measurements: Height: 3 inch / 7.6 cm Width: 11.8 inch / 30 cm Depth : 3.3 inch / 8.5 cm Condition : Perfect condition for its age, no brakes, no restorations, some minor scratches and age Related wear About the artist : Please note the Victoria & Albert Museum in London holds an Hanukkah lamp Havdalah Set...

Amazingly rare ashtray or a small trinket bowl, made in the early 20th century by the Important and high quality First Kiev Artel, The First Kiev Artel was founded in 1900 and Produced a wide variety of silver vessels as well as decorations. The quality of its work is Indicated in part by the fact that Fabergé’s Kiev branch hired away several artel members Between 1905 and 1910 and was absorbed by the Kiev branch of Fabergé . The workshop, which counted forty workers by 1909, was considered one of the best for Production of jewelry items from this important workshop are amazingly scarce and Hard To find, and only a handful of the works ever made it to public auctions. This bowl is constructed from a carved green onyx...

Very rare Bezalel Jerusalem silver filigree spice tower, this amazing spice Tower was Made by Yehia Yemini, who was the best filigree artist in bezal...

Antique 19th Century rare Imperial Russian solid silver statue depicting a bear sitting and Hogging a tree stump, heavy cast and engraved to the last detail. Hallmarked Russian Silver 84 (875 standard), St Petersburg, Maker Alexander Lokin. This rare find is an amazing example of Russian imperial silver works, mostly made for Royalty in Russia or exporting to other wealthy families and individuals in all of Europe. The base of this silver bear is hand carved from a massive single piece of green onyx, shaped as A Boulder. Great desk ornament or an amazing addition to any important antique silver Collection Measurements : Height : 5.9 inch / 15 cm Width : 4.8 inch / 12 cm Condition : Perfect condition to its age, no brakes, no restorations, Some minor scratches and age related wear. Russian lapidary work (of the onyx base) : The hand carved green onyx base of this sculpture is designed as A naturalistic but also Modernistic boulder, with its smooth lines its a perfect example of The late 19th century Lapidary works made in Russia. during the second half of the 19th Century, demand grew For copies of the many treasures admired by visitors on the Northern Grand Tour, which Included Russia. So shops and Galleries sprung up on the Nevsky Prospect, St Petersburg, to serve these new and wealthy visiting customers. At The same time an Influx of Italian craftsmen brought with them new skills and techniques Which they used To maximise the beauty of these hardstone objects...

Rare and one of a kind important Mario Buccellati clutch. Gold, silver and carved Emeralds evening bag, The silver bag engraved in a sunburst-like Pattern, the clasp set with 11 carv...

Very rare and important piece of George IV silver, highly important silver-gilt Inkwell probably by John Bridge of the renowned silversmiths Rundell & Bridge, Royal Silversmiths to t...

Important Handmade sterling silver Kiddush goblet by Bezalel School, Jerusalem, circa 1910-1913. On round base decorated with silver filigree and Cabouchon shaped green agate applications. The base fitted with Bezalel mark. The upper portion is all adorned with amazing filigree work, the base and the actual cup adorned with swirling filigree designs, in the middle there are 3 roundels, made in another technique of hammered silver, similar to the works that were produced in this time all over Europe, in the middle of each roundel there is a perfectly centered Cabouchon green agate. This work is attributed to Yehia Yemini. The goblet is marked on the base, with the earliest silver mark of the school that just say "Bezalel" in Hebrew. Yehia Yemini : Was one of the biggest and must famous Bezalel silver...

Important German parcel-gilt silver canister, Abraham Drentwett I, Augsburg, circa 1649-1666 Abraham Drentwett I is one of Augsburg's foremost silversmiths during the Baroque period. He was Active 1641-1666 , he is best known for having executed Queen Christina's silver throne...

This is a rare German silver kiddush cup that was made in Hochhausen (Tauberbischofsheim) or In the area, the marks on the cup relate to German silver in the 18th century, there Is a loth 13 silver mark which is 812,5 silver fineness. A Jewish Community in Hochhausen has been known since the 17th century. In 1706, four Jews from Hochhausen were named, each of whom had to pay ten Guilders for protection money. The Jewish Community in Hochhausen owned a synagogue, a Jewish school, The Jewish cemetery in Hochhausen and a ritual bath, which adjoined the Property at Mühlenwörth 7. The bathing house that was probably there was about 3 m by 4 m and got the water of the Tauber via a small canal from the Mühlkanal. The ritual bath came into the possession of the mill around 1920 and was Probably filled in at the time. A separate religious education teacher was Employed, who also worked as prayer leader and schochet. In 1827 the Jewish Community in Hochhausen was assigned to the district rabbinate of Wertheim, Which temporarily had its seat in the Jewish Community of Tauberbischofsheim From 1850 to 1864. The cup is adorned with an amazing engraving in old German style says : Familie Rothschild Hochhausen We can see that the family member that ordered this cup from a silversmith was Proud in his family name as he asked it to be engraved in such bold germanic Style letters. The font type is Fraktur it is a calligraphic hand of the Latin alphabet and any of Several blackletter typefaces derived from this hand. Letters are designed such That the individual strokes are broken apart; in this way it is often contrasted with The curves of the Antiqua (common) typefaces where the letters are designed to Flow and strokes connect together in a continuous fashion. The first Fraktur typeface arose in the early 16th century, when Emperor Maximilian I commissioned the design of the Triumphal Arch woodcut by Albrecht Dürer and had a new typeface created specifically for this purpose, designed by Hieronymus Andreae. The Rothschild family...

Antique early 20th Century exceptionally rare Chinese solid silver teapot, of traditional round form, the body finely engraved in traditional Chinese style, suggesting this teapot was made for the Chinese market. The body engraved with bamboo and butterflies , the unusual handle imitating bamboo, the removable lid set with a peach finial (Peaches are the symbol of longevity). According to Daoist lore, the peaches of immortality grew in the garden of the Queen Mother of the West - Xi Wangmu. the spout with a hedged cover in the shape of a lingzhi mushroom and a FU symbol of good furtune. the top frieze is decorated with 8 Chinese symbols: a scroll, a Ruyi scepter, a qin, The Endless Knot, a pendant, an old book, a wrist rest, and two overlapping squares. The teapot is very unusual, fine and exceptionally crisp. it is made of heavy Gauge silver and the attention to detail and design is simply outstanding. "WU HUA...