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)
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)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
