Torah Finials (Morocco)
Joseph Arvatz
Chaim Maman
1740
Image
Inscriptions on the stems of these silver Torah finials indicate that they were made by Joseph Arvatz and Chaim Maman in Morocco, and inscriptions on their rims state that they were owned by Rabbi Yamin, son of Yosef Butbol. Jewish silversmiths and goldsmiths brought techniques, such as filigree and gilding, to Morocco from Spain as early as the eleventh century and continued to dominate this profession for centuries. The finials’ central structures, topped by flowers and including colored glass windows with Hebrew scrolls visible within, resemble typical minarets that could be found in the city. Elaborately decorated, their surfaces are engraved with gently curling, gilded vines that wind their way up the stems to the minaret-like structures.
Credits
Torah finials donated by Chaim Maman in memory of Yamin Bitbol, son of Joseph Bitbol Morocco, late 19th century silversmiths: Joseph Arvatz, Chaim Maman. Silver: gilt, engraved, enameled. The Max Stern Collection of Yeshiva University Museum.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.
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