Shield for second Torah scroll. Presumably Oran, Algeria, [ca. 1918].
Silver, cast, pierced and engraved (marked with French hallmarks: tiny mark in form of flower or crab; initials JF within diamond – presumably maker's or assayer's mark).
Thick, rectangular silver plaque. Engraved dedicatory inscription in memory of the brothers Yaakov and Moshe sons of R. Avraham Kalfon, killed at war. The words "Sefer Sheni" (second Torah scroll) are pierced in the top third of the plate. Engraved on verso: "J. Fima" (presumably the silversmith who produced this shield). Long chain (original) for hanging on Torah case.
According to the WWI register of the French Ministry of Armed Forces, Jacob Kalfon (b. 1891) and Moïse Kalfon (b. 1893), both from Oran, Algeria, were killed during their service in the French army; Jacob at the age of 23 (in 1914), and Moïse, the younger brother, at the age of 25 (in 1918; see enclosed material).
Height: 11 cm, with chain: 63 cm, width: 12 cm. Good condition.

Ceremonial Objects from the Collection of an Algerian Family

Algerian Jewry, one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in Islamic countries, numbered at its peak some 130,000 Jews, most of whom left when Algeria gained its independence in 1962. The vast majority of Algerian Jews immigrated to France, while others moved to Israel.

Items 288-296 originate from the private collection of a rabbinic family in Western Algeria. Some of the items were found abandoned in Algerian synagogues following the mass exodus of its Jews, and were collected by the members of this family, whose descendants immigrated to France, and later to Israel.

Silver Hallmarks in French Algeria
Algeria, which was under French control from 1830 to 1962, became subject to French laws of silver crafting and silver hallmarks from 1838 (see: Tardy, pp. 29-30; 197-200).
Some of the silver items in the present collection bear French hallmarks, which for the most part appear to have been stamped by Algerian silversmiths or assayers in Algeria, already in the 19th century. Nonetheless, some items seem to have been produced in France, and stamped there before their import to Algeria.
The strong French connection along with the cultural diversity of Algerian Jewry (which comprises Jewish immigrants from Spain, Morocco, Italy and France), are well reflected in the present items, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint whether, for instance, an item was produced in the workshop of a Jewish silversmith from Algeria, from Spanish Morocco, from the community of Tétouan Jews living in Oran (Algeria), from Libya or from France. Likewise, in some cases it is difficult to discern conclusively whether a specific item was marked before it was brought from France to Algeria during the 19th or early 20th century, after it was brought into Algeria, or perhaps decades later, when it was brought back to France during the 1960s.
We are grateful to Chaya Benjamin and Prof. Shalom Sabar for their assistance in cataloguing these items.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Torah crown. France (Alsace?), 19th century (after 1838).
Silver, cast and die-stamped (marked with French hallmarks: tiny mark in form of crab; unidentified initials within diamond); gilt; velvet.
The crown, reminiscent in form of Eastern-European Torah crowns, was presumably made for an Ashkenazi community in France (possibly Alsace; there is a somewhat similar crown in the Colmar synagogue in Alsace).
The circlet of the crown is decorated with foliate designs and round and oval knops, with clover-shaped ornaments pointing upwards. Ten half-arches connect the circlet and the finial, designed as a flattened globe topped with a flame-shaped ornament. Two oval openings at the upper part of the crown, and two thin silver shafts with rings inside – for the Torah rollers. Thick, brownish-red velvet inlay.
Diameter of circlet: 19.5-21 cm, maximum diameter: 27 cm, height: 27 cm. Fair-good condition. Minor bends and breaks. Finial bent and several half-arches broken or bent at joint with finial. Tears and wear to velvet inlay.

Ceremonial Objects from the Collection of an Algerian Family

Algerian Jewry, one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in Islamic countries, numbered at its peak some 130,000 Jews, most of whom left when Algeria gained its independence in 1962. The vast majority of Algerian Jews immigrated to France, while others moved to Israel.

items 288-296 originate from the private collection of a rabbinic family in Western Algeria. Some of the items were found abandoned in Algerian synagogues following the mass exodus of its Jews, and were collected by the members of this family, whose descendants immigrated to France, and later to Israel.

Silver Hallmarks in French Algeria
Algeria, which was under French control from 1830 to 1962, became subject to French laws of silver crafting and silver hallmarks from 1838 (see: Tardy, pp. 29-30; 197-200).
Some of the silver items in the present collection bear French hallmarks, which for the most part appear to have been stamped by Algerian silversmiths or assayers in Algeria, already in the 19th century. Nonetheless, some items seem to have been produced in France, and stamped there before their import to Algeria.
The strong French connection along with the cultural diversity of Algerian Jewry (which comprises Jewish immigrants from Spain, Morocco, Italy and France), are well reflected in the present items, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint whether, for instance, an item was produced in the workshop of a Jewish silversmith from Algeria, from Spanish Morocco, from the community of Tétouan Jews living in Oran (Algeria), from Libya or from France. Likewise, in some cases it is difficult to discern conclusively whether a specific item was marked before it was brought from France to Algeria during the 19th or early 20th century, after it was brought into Algeria, or perhaps decades later, when it was brought back to France during the 1960s.

We are grateful to Chaya Benjamin and Prof. Shalom Sabar for their assistance in cataloguing these items.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Pair of Torah finials. Algeria (or Morocco), [late 19th century], dedication dated 1891.
Silver, cast, pierced and engraved (body of finials apparently unmarked; tiny French hallmark on one bell); gilt.
Hexagonal, openwork body, in a foliate design, with bell-hung openings. The upper part of the finials is shaped like a crown, topped with a pineapple-shaped knop. Tall, hexagonal staves.
Identical dedication engraved on both staves, in memory of Abraham Abecasis, who passed away on Thursday, 25th Adar I 1891. The person in whose memory the finials were dedicated may have been a member of a Jewish family from Tétouan (Morocco), who lived in Oran (several hundred Jewish families from Tétouan fled to Oran following the outbreak of the Hispano-Moroccan war in 1859).
A similar pair of finials (with a dedication in similar typeface) from Tétouan, Morocco, is documented in the Center for Jewish Art, item 36930 (the Bill Gross collection). For additional information on this type of finials, see previous item.
Height: 42.5 cm. Fair condition. Some damage, breaks and bends, with unskilled soldering repairs. Lacking eight bells. Lacking two floral ornaments.

Ceremonial Objects from the Collection of an Algerian Family

Algerian Jewry, one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in Islamic countries, numbered at its peak some 130,000 Jews, most of whom left when Algeria gained its independence in 1962. The vast majority of Algerian Jews immigrated to France, while others moved to Israel.

Items 288-296 originate from the private collection of a rabbinic family in Western Algeria. Some of the items were found abandoned in Algerian synagogues following the mass exodus of its Jews, and were collected by the members of this family, whose descendants immigrated to France, and later to Israel.

Silver Hallmarks in French Algeria

Algeria, which was under French control from 1830 to 1962, became subject to French laws of silver crafting and silver hallmarks from 1838 (see: Tardy, pp. 29-30; 197-200).
Some of the silver items in the present collection bear French hallmarks, which for the most part appear to have been stamped by Algerian silversmiths or assayers in Algeria, already in the 19th century. Nonetheless, some items seem to have been produced in France, and stamped there before their import to Algeria.
The strong French connection along with the cultural diversity of Algerian Jewry (which comprises Jewish immigrants from Spain, Morocco, Italy and France), are well reflected in the present items, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint whether, for instance, an item was produced in the workshop of a Jewish silversmith from Algeria, from Spanish Morocco, from the community of Tétouan Jews living in Oran (Algeria), from Libya or from France. Likewise, in some cases it is difficult to discern conclusively whether a specific item was marked before it was brought from France to Algeria during the 19th or early 20th century, after it was brought into Algeria, or perhaps decades later, when it was brought back to France during the 1960s.

We are grateful to Chaya Benjamin and Prof. Shalom Sabar for their assistance in cataloguing these items.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Two Torah finials (not a pair). Algeria / Libya, [19th century].
Silver, cast, pierced and engraved.
The two finials don't form a pair, but share the same design.
Each finial is topped with a dome, surmounted by a stylized ornament. Three-tier, hexagonal openwork body, with alternate foliate and menorah forms; arched openings in middle tier with hooks for bells (bells missing). Cylindrical staves topped with a bell-hung goblet.
1. Dedication engraved on the facets of the middle tier (Hebrew): "Silver finials donated by the brothers R. Yitzchak and R. David HaKohen in memory of their father R. Yosef HaKohen, by the artist Shalom Djian". The year of production is also engraved on the shaft: 1868. Marked with tiny French hallmark (not identified). The finial or silversmith may originate from Libya. Height: 35 cm. Good condition. Lacking bells.
2. Dedication engraved on the facets of the lower tier: "Silver finials donated by Yosef Porat in memory of his mother". With tiny French hallmarks (initials CD within diamond – maker's or assayer's mark). Height: 38 cm. Good condition. Missing bells.

Ceremonial Objects from the Collection of an Algerian Family

Algerian Jewry, one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in Islamic countries, numbered at its peak some 130,000 Jews, most of whom left when Algeria gained its independence in 1962. The vast majority of Algerian Jews immigrated to France, while others moved to Israel.

Items (items 288-296) originate from the private collection of a rabbinic family in Western Algeria. Some of the items were found abandoned in Algerian synagogues following the mass exodus of its Jews, and were collected by the members of this family, whose descendants immigrated to France, and later to Israel.

Silver Hallmarks in French Algeria
Algeria, which was under French control from 1830 to 1962, became subject to French laws of silver crafting and silver hallmarks from 1838 (see: Tardy, pp. 29-30; 197-200).
Some of the silver items in the present collection bear French hallmarks, which for the most part appear to have been stamped by Algerian silversmiths or assayers in Algeria, already in the 19th century. Nonetheless, some items seem to have been produced in France, and stamped there before their import to Algeria.
The strong French connection along with the cultural diversity of Algerian Jewry (which comprises Jewish immigrants from Spain, Morocco, Italy and France), are well reflected in the present items, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint whether, for instance, an item was produced in the workshop of a Jewish silversmith from Algeria, from Spanish Morocco, from the community of Tétouan Jews living in Oran (Algeria), from Libya or from France. Likewise, in some cases it is difficult to discern conclusively whether a specific item was marked before it was brought from France to Algeria during the 19th or early 20th century, after it was brought into Algeria, or perhaps decades later, when it was brought back to France during the 1960s.

We are grateful to Chaya Benjamin and Prof. Shalom Sabar for their assistance in cataloguing these items.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Jam-tas, silver drinking bowl depicting the holy places and a Star of David. [Afghanistan], 1936.
Silver, engraved.
Shallow drinking bowl of the Jewish-Afghan tradition, with the inside densely engraved with decorative patterns: Star of David containing the words "shield of Zion" (Hebrew), surrounded by ogee arches depicting animals, vases, a schematic image of the Western Wall and a domed structure (possibly representing the Dome of the Rock). Dedicatory text (Hebrew): "May you be granted many pleasant years of life and be glad with Jerusalem, may it be built and established; Malkiel son of Shmuel Abramof, born 5 Cheshvan 5677". Four small cartouches at edge contain each one letter of the date – 5696 (1936). The outside is engraved with birds.
Such drinking bowls, like other household items, were often given as a wedding gift and inscribed with the groom's name and date of birth.
Reference: Zohar Hanegbi and Bracha Yaniv, Afghanistan, The Synagogue and the Jewish Home. Center for Jewish Art and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1991. Pp. 40-41. Item nos. 72-74.
Diameter: 9 cm. Good condition.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.