FÜRTH, MID 18TH CENTURY, MAKER'S MARK IR, ATTRIBUTED TO JOHANN JAKOB RUNNECKE ('J. RIMMONIM')

This maker's mark, found on fine examples of silver Judaica, has traditionally been given to the maker 'J. Rimmonim', a pseudonym now believed to be that of Johann Jakob Runnecke, listed in the Fürth guild registry circa 1760-1790. This maker was active in both Fürth and Nuremberg in the mid-late 18th century. A large quantity of Jewish ceremonial objects produced by him have survived (see R. Grafman, Crowning Glory: Silver Torah Ornaments of the Jewish Museum, New York, 1996, nos. 25, 32, 300, 544; S. Kayser, Jewish Ceremonial Art, Philadelphia, 1959, no. 101; A. Weber, Geschichten Von Gegenständen, The Gross Family Collection: Jewish Ritual Objects and the Stories They Tell, Jüdisches Museum Hohenems, 1994, nos. 31, 34.)

The most recent article on this important maker is by Ursula Timann, Meister Rimmonim: Der Fürther Goldschmied Johann Jakob Runneke aus Berlin, Weltkunst, no.7, July 2001, pp. 1170-1173.