AN IMPORTANT DUTCH SHABBAT AND FESTIVAL HANGING LAMP

Details
AN IMPORTANT DUTCH SHABBAT AND FESTIVAL HANGING LAMP
by Otto Knoop, Amsterdam, circa 1740

This lamp of typical sefardic form, consisting of six detachable parts: 1. Top suspension hook
2. Pierced foliate crown with moulded scroll border and shells at intervals
3. Plain baluster stem
4. An open seven light oil lamp with incurved sides, reeded border and broad shallow spouts
5. Plain circular drip bowl
6. Foliage cone weight below

Parts 2 and 5 with maker's mark of Otto Knoop
Parts 1 and 2 marked with the county-lion, circa 1740
Parts 1,3,4, and 5 marked with later duty mark for the Hague 1795
(chains replaced, some repairs) 87cm high (1547gr)

Otto Knoop, B.Emden 1708, silver smith from 1730 onwards (Voet 317; Citroen 714)
Provenance
Mr S. van Oven, The Hague
Sale catalogue Paul Brandt, Amsterdam 19-22 April 1966, lot 975
with colour illustration at frontispiece
Literature
Illustrated in: S.Ph. de Vries, Joodse Riten en Symbolen, Amsterdam, 1968 (between p. 64 and p. 65)
Exhibited
Tentoonstelling van Joodse gebruiksvoorwerpen in het huisgezin, Gemeentemuseum 's Gravenhage [1934], no. 58
Further details
END OF SALE

Lot Essay

Only few such lamps are known f.e.:
- Another similar lamp by Otto Knoop is in the Jewish Museum New York. Harry G. Friedman collection see: A. Kanof, Jewish ceremonial art, p. 105 fig. 88

- Shabbat lamp by Anthonie de Rooy, Amsterdam 1729, illustrated at M.H. Gans and Th.M. Duyvené de Wit-Klinkhamer, Geschiedenis van het Nederlandse Zilver, Amsterdam 1958, fig. 81

- Shabbat lamp by Hendrik Griste I, Amsterdam 1755, (drip bowl lacking) sold at Christie's New York, fine Judaica, June 26, 1984, lot 123
For almost identical lamp by the same maker but with a drip bowl see: Delft, 40e Oude Kunst en Antiekbeurs, 13-27 October, 1988, p.77 (illustrated)

- Shabbat lamp by Pieter Bartolomeus van Linden, Amsterdam 1762, sold at Christie's Geneva, Highly Important Silver, May 12, 1982, lot 89, also illustrated at Christie's Review of the Season, 1982, p. 277

- Shabbat lamp, presumably by Michel Derièe, The Hague 1764, is in the Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam (see: Belinfante p. 41)

- Shabbat lamp by Hendrik Dauw, Leeuwarden 1783, sold in Christie's London, Fine English and Foreign Silver, December 19, 1979, lot 55, plate 5.
This lamp is now at the Berlin Museum and from there on loan to the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam. See: Berlin Museum, Jüdische Lebenswelten Katalog, 1991, p. 67, fig5

- Two other such shabbat lamps are known but unfortunately at the moment no complete reference is available to us. The one by A. Mensma, Amsterdam 1729, probably Christie's London, May 1970. The second by J.B. Jansen, Amsterdam 1772, sold at January 1975

- These types of lamps, similar to contemporary Dutch models, were probably introduced to England by the Amsterdam Jewish silversmith, Abraham d'Oliveyra. Two such lamps are known to have been made by him 1. London 1726, see: M.H. Gans, Memorbook, p. 161 and 2. London 1734, see: Barnett, Jewish Museum London, no. 373, p. 331, fig. 148 and plate CXIV

- Michael Clayton in the Collector's Dictionary of the Silver and Gold of Great Britain and North America registered 3 other such lamps made in England.
1. by Hester Bateman in 1781 (illustrated idem p. 322),
2. by William Spackman in 1722 and 3. by Samuel Hennell in 1813. (idem p. 163 and 174).

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