By Andrea Nissel | December 24, 2020
Going once, going twice…it’s auction time at J Greenstein & Company, the only auction house in the United States solely devoted to the sale of antique Judaica. Founded in 2004 by Jonathan Greenstein, the Judaica retail gallery and auction house focusses on antique Jewish ritual objects and art from the 1600s to 1938.
Greenstein’s passion for Judaica started when he was 14 and had a part-time job at an antique shop in Brooklyn. At the time, silver was extremely valuable and every Jewish lady thought to sell her grandfather’s kiddush cup. “My boss didn’t feel right melting down Jewish artifacts, nor did I,” said Greenstein, “so instead he paid my salary in silver and that’s how my collection began.” Thirty-eight years and 77 auctions later, Greenstein has become the “go-to guy” when it comes to authenticating antique Judaica.