Early 20th Century Austrian Wooden Charity Box

Judaica Charity box, made in Austria. Printed with a scene of the Western Wall, inscribed in Hebrew “Land of Israel / Western Wall / Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha-Nes”, circa 1920. Charity boxes made of tin were issued both in Europe and the United States during the era of World War One often collected for funds relating to religious Jewish institutions in Jerusalem, many of which were named after a Jewish sage who lived close to two thousand years ago, known as “Rabbi Meir the miracle worker”. This box is a rarity among “Rabbi Meir” boxes, as it is not made of the typically found tin, but of wood. It was issued by “Lourie & Co.”, a Jewish-owned firm in Vienna.