APPARENTLY UNMARKED, PROBABLY VENICE 17TH CENTURY
Details
An Highly Important and Rare Italian Gold Scroll of Esther Case
Apparently unmarked, probably Venice 17th Century
The cylindrical case of solid coins gold (above 20 carat), centred by a very fine applied filigree pot of naturalistic flower with at the upper part The Tablets of the Law inscribed in Hebrew with the initial words of the Ten-Commandments, with granulated filigree work and applied foliate semicircles, flanked by censer with suspending chains, the High Priest's mitre, a Menorah and two campana shaped pots with flowers, the domed top with vase finial decorated en suite to the body, the cylindrical case underneath applied with Gothic style ornaments, trefoil and interwoven beaded circles on plain ground and surrounded by corded rims, the cylindrical handle applied with corded circles and swirling bands alternated by plain lozenges terminating in a ball shaped ornament decorated en suite, containing a later handwritten Megillah on parchment, 20 lines per column, parchment 6.5 cm. high, complete with matching gold thumbpiece, very finely applied with corded bands and applied plain circles forming lozenges, each centred by applied shallow circles, the centre applied with a mask holding a mouth ring
21 cm. High; 0.2 cm. Thick (circa 120 gr.)
Apparently unmarked, probably Venice 17th Century
The cylindrical case of solid coins gold (above 20 carat), centred by a very fine applied filigree pot of naturalistic flower with at the upper part The Tablets of the Law inscribed in Hebrew with the initial words of the Ten-Commandments, with granulated filigree work and applied foliate semicircles, flanked by censer with suspending chains, the High Priest's mitre, a Menorah and two campana shaped pots with flowers, the domed top with vase finial decorated en suite to the body, the cylindrical case underneath applied with Gothic style ornaments, trefoil and interwoven beaded circles on plain ground and surrounded by corded rims, the cylindrical handle applied with corded circles and swirling bands alternated by plain lozenges terminating in a ball shaped ornament decorated en suite, containing a later handwritten Megillah on parchment, 20 lines per column, parchment 6.5 cm. high, complete with matching gold thumbpiece, very finely applied with corded bands and applied plain circles forming lozenges, each centred by applied shallow circles, the centre applied with a mask holding a mouth ring
21 cm. High; 0.2 cm. Thick (circa 120 gr.)
Provenance
This Italian gold Megillah Case passed through the ownership of various families of Jewish scholars in Northern Italy until coming into the possession of the Montefiore family where it has remained since and has come to the present owner by descent
Literature
Only one other Italian gold Scroll of Esther Case of this type and period is known to have survived and none was, most probably, ever offered for sale on the free market.
A very similar gold Scroll of Esther Case probably by the same maker, Italian 17th Century, is now on loan to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
See: The Israel Museum News 14, 1978, page 49 (illustrated).
See also: Dora Liscia Bemporad, Jewish Ceremonial Art in The Era of The Ghettos pp. 112 to 135, in Vivian B. Mann (editor), Gardens and Ghettos, The Art of Jewish Life in Italy, New York, 1989
A very similar gold Scroll of Esther Case probably by the same maker, Italian 17th Century, is now on loan to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
See: The Israel Museum News 14, 1978, page 49 (illustrated).
See also: Dora Liscia Bemporad, Jewish Ceremonial Art in The Era of The Ghettos pp. 112 to 135, in Vivian B. Mann (editor), Gardens and Ghettos, The Art of Jewish Life in Italy, New York, 1989
Exhibited
Silvio G. Cusin, Art in the Jewish Tradition, Exhibition catalogue published by Adei-Wizo Milan, Milano, 1963 (illustrated in colour)
Sale room notice
This lot should not read "above 20 carat" but "approximately 20 carat"