Auction 81 - The Wily Lindwer Collection
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The postcards focus on the Jews of Marrakesh, Meknès, Fez, Rabat, Tétouan, Tangier, Mogodur, Mazagan, Sefrou, Debdou, Kerrando, Tafilalt, Safi, and a number of villages in the Atlas Mountains, depicting Jewish individuals (merchants, tradesmen, craftsmen, men and women, families) Jewish quarters (or "mellah" districts) of cities, synagogues, and other Jewish institutions. Including four undivided-back postcards.
Average size: 9X14 cm. Condition varies.
Nine of the postcards feature Jewish individuals and Jewish sites in Spain (Granada, Córdoba, Toledo, Seville, and Melilla); the four others are from Gibraltar. Two undivided-back postcards.
Average size: 9X14 cm. Condition varies.
Silver, cast and engraved; chased.
Torah finials of the tower-shaped variety. Each surmounted by baluster knop, with arms consisting of twisted silver strips. Openwork hexagonal tapering body surmounted by pyramidal, hexagonal dome. Each side retains remnants of floral ornament with four crosswise petals replaced with soldered medallions or Star-of-David-shaped decorations. Two types of bells. Long, hollow cylindrical shafts, engraved with dedicatory Hebrew inscription: "Hakham Jacob son of R. Zohara Tedgi of Blessed Memory."
Height: 28 cm. Good condition. Loose screw joints. Traces of soldering repairs and removal of old decorations.
Copper, cast; sheet copper, cut, pierced and engraved; chased and chiseled; velvet fabric.
Conical Torah finials, with vegetal and geometric decorations in openwork, backed by reddish velvet fabric. Small suspension rings for bells at base of cone.
Height: 31 cm. Fair-good condition. Minor bends and fractures. Wear to velvet fabric. No bells.
Two Torah pointers ("Qlam des-sifer"). Tafilalt Region, central Morocco, [late 19th century / early 20th century].
Silver, cast and engraved.
Leafy, flower-shaped upper joint with apical ring. Handle with leafy ornaments in middle. Flat open hand with extended fingers, and cuff. Dedicatory Hebrew inscriptions on back (using customary abbreviations):
1. "Sanctified to the Almighty in honor of the Great Rabbi, Learned in Miracles, Rabbi Yahia Lahlou, Righteous and Holy of Blessed Memory, may his virtue protect us, Amen." Rabbi Yahia Lahlou was among the most revered of the "tzadikim" (righteous rabbis) of Morocco, sent as an emissary from the Land of Israel on a mission to raise funds from the Moroccan Jewish community on behalf of Torah institutions in the Land of Israel. His tomb in the city of Errachidia (Tafilalt Region, central Morocco) was regarded as a Jewish holy site and a destination of pilgrimages.
2. "This is the Torah Scroll, Sanctified unto the Lord, of Hanini Nizri, in memory of her late mother Esther Zano, may her soul rest in Eden."
Length: 12.5 cm; 13.5 cm. Good condition.
Reference: Jewish Life in Morocco, pp. 54-55.
Moroccan Torah pointers are usually flat, and, unlike its counterparts in other parts of the Jewish world – in which, apart from the index finger, the "hand" is depicted as a clenched fist – here the hand is flat, with fingers extended, to give the appearance of a "hamsa" symbol. In Moroccan Judaeo-Arabic, this type of object is termed "qlam des-sifer, " or, as is implied in a dedicatory inscription on one particular Torah pointer (see item no. 7 below), a "moreh" (i.e., "guide").
Three Torah pointers ("qlam des-sifer"). Morocco, [late 19th century / early 20th century].
1. Silver, cast and engraved. Decorative flower-shaped upper joint with apical ring. Handle decorated with parallel horizontal lines. Flat open hand with extended fingers. Dedicatory Hebrew inscription (using customary abbreviations): "Servant of the Almighty, Makhlouf son of David... Abukarat...". Length: 12 cm. Good condition.
2. Brass, cast and engraved. Elliptical striped upper joint with apical ring. Handle with two striped elliptical joints. Flat open hand with extended fingers. Thumb pointing rightward as in left hand. Original leather band. Length: 19 cm. Good condition.
3. Brass, cast and engraved. Round upper joint with sun-like decoration at center and with apical ring. Handle decorated with pairs of leaves. Flat open hand with extended fingers. Dedicatory Hebrew inscription: "…Yisrael Kohen… Aharon Gabai." Length: 15 cm. Good condition.
Reference: Jewish Life in Morocco, pp. 54-55.
Moroccan Torah pointers are usually flat, and, unlike its counterparts in other parts of the Jewish world – in which, apart from the index finger, the "hand" is depicted as a clenched fist – here the hand is flat, with fingers extended, to give the appearance of a "hamsa" symbol. In Moroccan Judaeo-Arabic, this type of object is termed "qlam des-sifer, " or, as is implied in a dedicatory inscription on one particular Torah pointer (see item no. 7 below), a "moreh" (i.e., "guide").
Three Torah pointers ("qlam des-sifer"). Morocco, [20th century].
1. Silver, cast and engraved. Cylindrical handle decorated with stripes and hatching. Clenched hand with elongated index finger. Chain attached to apical ring. Silver plaque suspended on chain, with engraved dedicatory Hebrew inscription (on both sides): "Servant of the Almighty, the Hakham… Rabbi Aharon Ben-Hemo, may he rest in Eden / he and his wife, Aisha Ben-Hemo, may she rest in Eden." Length: 19 cm, including chain: 45 cm.
2. Silver, cast and engraved. Handle mostly plain, with hatched-pattern joint. Clenched hand with elongated index finger and hatched-pattern cuff. Dedicatory Hebrew inscription (using customary abbreviations): "Servant of the Almighty, Avraham Halevy, may the Lord maintain him and protect him." Wrist lace attached to apical ring. Length: 20 cm.
3. Brass, cast and engraved. Handle with geometric, linear, and hatched-pattern decoration. Clenched hand with flexed index finger and with cuff. Dedicatory Hebrew inscription (using customary abbreviations), in which the Torah pointer is referred to as a "moreh, " i.e., "guide": "This is to 'guide' the [Heavenward] rise of the spirit of the Wise and Discerning, His Honor Rabbi David Banon, may he rest in Eden." Length: 20 cm.
Moroccan Torah pointers are usually flat, and, unlike its counterparts in other parts of the Jewish world – in which, apart from the index finger, the "hand" is depicted as a clenched fist – here the hand is flat, with fingers extended, to give the appearance of a "hamsa" symbol. In Moroccan Judaeo-Arabic, this type of object is termed "qlam des-sifer, " or, as is implied in a dedicatory inscription on one particular Torah pointer in this lot, a "moreh" (i.e., "guide").
Brass, cast; sheet brass, cut, pierced, perforated, and punched; chased; rivets.
Architectural openwork back plate; pierced, perforated, and engraved with geometric and vegetal patterns and with large central Star of David flanked by pair of spiraling cast columns. Central arch flanked by two small circular elements with Stars of David. Side panels with identical design, attached with rotating hinges. Row of oil fonts with pinched, pointed spouts for wicks, floating above drip pan, attached to back plate. Front of drip pan also decorated. Suspension ring.
Height: 24 cm. Width: 24 cm. Good condition. Some bends. No servant light.
Reference: North African Lights, items nos. 7-10.
Sheet brass, repoussé, pierced, punched, and engraved; rivets.
Triple-arched back plate, wherein each arch surmounts a pierced Star of David. An additional "window" in the form of a Star of David (also pierced) appears in the center of the back plate, and two large birds surmount the two small arches on either side of the large central arch, inscribed with the Hebrew words "Magen David." Entire surface filled with vegetal and geometric patterns, hamsa hand shapes, and Stars of David. Side panels also decorated with pierced Stars of David and vegetal patterns. Row of oil fonts with pinched, pointed spouts for wicks, mounted on two cylinders, one inside the other, both fastened to drip pan. Servant light located under apex of central arch, underneath pierced Star of David. Suspension hook, in form of trifoliate clover-like frill, surmounting central arch.
A photo of a similar Hanukkah lamp, undoubtedly the work of the same craftsman, adorns the cover of the Israel Museum exhibition catalogue "North African Lights: Hanukkah Lamps from the Zeyde Schulmann Collection in the Israel Museum," except that the present lamp differs from its Israel Museum counterpart in a number of details: the inscription "Magen David" appears instead of "BeSiman Tov", and the punched Star of David and hamsa decorations on the surface of the former do not appear on the Israel Museum lamp.
Height: 28 cm. Width: 22 cm. Good condition. Old soldering repairs. Minor bends.
Reference: North African Lights, item no. 83 (also cover photo).
Sheet brass, cut, engraved, and punched; copper rivets.
Back plate decorated with vegetal patterns, Star of David, eight hemispherical bosses, and a row of tapering, pointed arches. Canopy – projecting frontward and supported by pair of columns riveted to back plate – overhangs lamp. Canopy and side panels decorated with vegetal patterns. Row of rectangular oil fonts with pinched, pointed spouts for wicks, fastened to back plate with two copper rivets. Servant light soldered onto backplate toward top, in middle of Star of David. Suspension hole.
Height: 32 cm. Width: 26 cm. Good condition. Minor soldering repairs.
Reference: North African Lights, items nos. 40-42.
Sheet brass, cut, pierced, and punched.
Arched back plate decorated with symmetrical composition consisting of pair of peacocks, four crowns, and two rosette-shaped adornments with Stars of David, each enclosed by six pierced round openings and with additional large hole in middle. Canopy projecting forward from outline of arch, with 12 round pierced openings. Upper surface of canopy decorated with crowns and vegetal patterns. Outer surfaces of side panels with heart-shaped vegetal patterns. Removable row of rectangular oil fonts with pinched, pointed spouts for wicks. Servant light attached underneath apex of arch, between peacock breasts. Suspension ring.
Height: 22 cm. Width: 24 cm. Good condition. Old soldering repairs.
Reference: North African Lights, items nos. 40-42.
Sheet brass, cut, pierced, and punched; stained glass.
Small Hanukkah lamp, architectural style. Several designs pierced in back plate, serving as frames for stained-glass "windows": five horseshoe arches, and central Star of David flanked by pair of round, sun-like ornaments. Canopy consisting of four triangles – two filled in with stained glass and two with sides surmounted by birds – projecting forward. Side panels also filled in with panes of stained glass. Stained-glass panes of canopy and side panels differ in hues and textures. Row of rectangular oil fonts with pinched, pointed spouts for wicks. Servant light surmounting side panel. Suspension loop.
Height: 14 cm. Width: 13.5 cm. Good condition. Old soldering repairs.
Reference: From the Secular to the Sacred: Everyday Objects in Jewish Ritual Use, pp. 46-51, items nos. 25-27.