Lot Essay
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APPARENTLY UNMARKED, BAGHDAD, CIRCA 1850
Details
A fine and rare silver-gilt scroll of esther case, with contemporary illuminated megillah
Apparently unmarked, Baghdad, circa 1850
Case:
The octagonal case engraved with scrolling flowers and foliage, the engraved domed top surmounted by a red stone finial, turned and shaped cylindrical revolving handle below, the matching thumb-piece decorated similarly, applied with central suspension loop, inscribed on lower part A.S.D. for Abraham Shalom David [Sassoon].
Scroll:
Hand-painted, pen and black ink, tempera on vellum, 5 membranes, 9.6 cm high, 168 cm long, 23 text columns of 18-20 lines, additional opening panel containing blessings recited before and after the Megillah reading and two other initial panels in large letters on floral back ground elaborately painted in tones of purple, green, orange, brown and blue. Titled: Megillat Ester ha-Malkah u-Mordekhai ha-Yehudi, 6 cm high, blind horizontal and vertical ruling, fine Hebrew square script with taggin (crownlets). With intercolumnar floral designs and the genealogies of Mordecai and Haman along upper and lower margins, respectively. Mordecai's lineage is traced through Jacob to Abraham, while Haman's derives from the wicked Esau.
Condition of scroll:
Very good overall condition, slight loosening of stitches mainly at last membrane, occasionally minor fading of colours, 4 cm tear at the end without loss of text, two other minor marginal tears of 2-5 mm, otherwise excellently preserved.
The Scribe:
It is possible that all of the five known Esther scrolls bearing this type of decorative program, were written and illuminated by the scribe Isaac Meir Chayyim Moses Gabbai from Baghdad, who also wrote and illustrated in 1854 a Haggadah shel Pesach with song of songs. This manuscript, which shows the same decorative motifs as the megillot, is now in the collection of Prof. Meir Benayahu, Jerusalem. Additional pieces that likely emanate from the same hand are a highly unusual Haggadah scroll preserved in the Klau Library, HUC-JIR, Cincinnati, Ohio, and the painted inner panels of an Iraqi Torah case (tik), currently in the collection of the Judah Magnus Museum, Berkeley, California.
23cm. high (case)
136gr. (including scroll)
Apparently unmarked, Baghdad, circa 1850
Case:
The octagonal case engraved with scrolling flowers and foliage, the engraved domed top surmounted by a red stone finial, turned and shaped cylindrical revolving handle below, the matching thumb-piece decorated similarly, applied with central suspension loop, inscribed on lower part A.S.D. for Abraham Shalom David [Sassoon].
Scroll:
Hand-painted, pen and black ink, tempera on vellum, 5 membranes, 9.6 cm high, 168 cm long, 23 text columns of 18-20 lines, additional opening panel containing blessings recited before and after the Megillah reading and two other initial panels in large letters on floral back ground elaborately painted in tones of purple, green, orange, brown and blue. Titled: Megillat Ester ha-Malkah u-Mordekhai ha-Yehudi, 6 cm high, blind horizontal and vertical ruling, fine Hebrew square script with taggin (crownlets). With intercolumnar floral designs and the genealogies of Mordecai and Haman along upper and lower margins, respectively. Mordecai's lineage is traced through Jacob to Abraham, while Haman's derives from the wicked Esau.
Condition of scroll:
Very good overall condition, slight loosening of stitches mainly at last membrane, occasionally minor fading of colours, 4 cm tear at the end without loss of text, two other minor marginal tears of 2-5 mm, otherwise excellently preserved.
The Scribe:
It is possible that all of the five known Esther scrolls bearing this type of decorative program, were written and illuminated by the scribe Isaac Meir Chayyim Moses Gabbai from Baghdad, who also wrote and illustrated in 1854 a Haggadah shel Pesach with song of songs. This manuscript, which shows the same decorative motifs as the megillot, is now in the collection of Prof. Meir Benayahu, Jerusalem. Additional pieces that likely emanate from the same hand are a highly unusual Haggadah scroll preserved in the Klau Library, HUC-JIR, Cincinnati, Ohio, and the painted inner panels of an Iraqi Torah case (tik), currently in the collection of the Judah Magnus Museum, Berkeley, California.
23cm. high (case)
136gr. (including scroll)
Provenance
Abraham Shalom David [Sassoon] (his initials A S D inscribed on lower
part of thumb-piece).
David Solomon Sassoon (1880-1942), one of the greatest Jewish bibliophiles of all times. This Megillah was part of his world-famous collection of Hebrew manuscripts and is catalogued as the first entry (on page 557) of his monumental descriptive catalogue, Ohel Dawid, Oxford University Press, 1932, 2 vols. His parchment label, inscribed David S. Sasson 1., is still attached to the handle.
David Suliman Sassoon, grandson of the former, with, accompanying this lot, a typed letter signed by him and dated 21.07.2001 confirming this provenance.
part of thumb-piece).
David Solomon Sassoon (1880-1942), one of the greatest Jewish bibliophiles of all times. This Megillah was part of his world-famous collection of Hebrew manuscripts and is catalogued as the first entry (on page 557) of his monumental descriptive catalogue, Ohel Dawid, Oxford University Press, 1932, 2 vols. His parchment label, inscribed David S. Sasson 1., is still attached to the handle.
David Suliman Sassoon, grandson of the former, with, accompanying this lot, a typed letter signed by him and dated 21.07.2001 confirming this provenance.
Literature
For 4 other similar Esther scrolls see:
1) A collection from the Sassoon Family Estate, Sotheby's Tel Aviv, 25 and 27 October 2000, lot no. 35. Very similar scroll in silver case but without the genealogy of Mordecai and of Haman.
2) Schachar, Isaiah., Jewish Tradition in Art, The Feuchtwanger Collection of Judaica, the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1981, p. 158, no. 417, illustrated in colour at the beginning. On wooden roller and with loss in upper and lower margins. Also illustrated in colour in: Ungerleider-Mayerson, Joy., Jewish Folk Art New York, 1986, p. 172.
3) Benjamin, Chaya., The Stieglitz Collection, Masterpieces of Jewish Art, The Israel Museum Jerusalem, 1987, p. 278, no. 191. Similar scroll in which however the tab and borders of the scroll were cut to fit into the later silver case. See also Catalogue of the Anglo-Jewish Historical Exhibition, London, Royal Albert Hall, 1887, illus. 2061.
4) Bialer, Y.L., Jewish Life in Art and Tradition, Sir Isaac and Lady Wolfson Museum in Hechal Shlomo, Jerusalem, 1980, p. 172. Damaged with loss of decoration, fitted on broken wooden roller. The same Megillah is illustrated in colour in Enc. Judaica, vol. 13 col. 1388, Plate 2.
For the Haggadah scroll see:
Grossman, G.C., Jewish Art, p. 216
For the scribe see:
Benayahu, Meir., Hebrew Books composed in Baghdad and books copied there, Jerusalem, 1993, p.215, no. 240
1) A collection from the Sassoon Family Estate, Sotheby's Tel Aviv, 25 and 27 October 2000, lot no. 35. Very similar scroll in silver case but without the genealogy of Mordecai and of Haman.
2) Schachar, Isaiah., Jewish Tradition in Art, The Feuchtwanger Collection of Judaica, the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1981, p. 158, no. 417, illustrated in colour at the beginning. On wooden roller and with loss in upper and lower margins. Also illustrated in colour in: Ungerleider-Mayerson, Joy., Jewish Folk Art New York, 1986, p. 172.
3) Benjamin, Chaya., The Stieglitz Collection, Masterpieces of Jewish Art, The Israel Museum Jerusalem, 1987, p. 278, no. 191. Similar scroll in which however the tab and borders of the scroll were cut to fit into the later silver case. See also Catalogue of the Anglo-Jewish Historical Exhibition, London, Royal Albert Hall, 1887, illus. 2061.
4) Bialer, Y.L., Jewish Life in Art and Tradition, Sir Isaac and Lady Wolfson Museum in Hechal Shlomo, Jerusalem, 1980, p. 172. Damaged with loss of decoration, fitted on broken wooden roller. The same Megillah is illustrated in colour in Enc. Judaica, vol. 13 col. 1388, Plate 2.
For the Haggadah scroll see:
Grossman, G.C., Jewish Art, p. 216
For the scribe see:
Benayahu, Meir., Hebrew Books composed in Baghdad and books copied there, Jerusalem, 1993, p.215, no. 240
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