an 11" x 14" unframed gold-leafed document
Click on the certificate to read document text
The border on this hand-aged Ketubah is a accurate facsimile of that which framed an illuminated
Hebrew manuscript of the words of the prophet Amos (700 BCE). The Hebrew quote (with English
translation) affirms the power of mingling lights & was written by Rabbi Israel Ba-al Shem Tov, the
founder of the 18th century movement known as Hasidism. The text of the Ketubah is designed to
reflect the egalitarian nature of a successful marriage partnership. It incorporates the realities,
hopes, dreams & ambitions of a contemporary couple and recognizes their diverse traditions. The
woodcut chuppah scene (bridal canopy) is Dutch & dates back to A1723.
If you look at original antique pages on most occasions you will see that the aging effects of time
and atmosphere add much to the beauty of the piece, as does the irregularity and texture of the
parchment, vellum or paper itself. Unlike other artwork on the market our unique hand-aged process
creates not only an accurate visual likeness of the effects of time & aging but also a very realistic
feel. This textured irregularity ensures that no two hand-aged Ketubah's are ever alike! The
hand-aged process takes about two days to complete. First we put the paper through a molecular
change, then each sheet is hand-stained & individually distressed. Next the page is air-dried (a
preferred method over heating as the natural dyes do their job more realistically over a slow period
of time) & then pressed naturally. Each piece is stamped, signed (on the back) and dated by hand in
Roman numerals on the front.
The pricing is as follows:
not personalized ............. $140
personalized ............. $210