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Img. ID: 332899

© Gross Family Collection (GFC), Photographer: Bar Hama, Ardon, -

The prefatory rectangular panel is decorated with two narrative scenes from the Book of Esther and two figures of men flanking the inscription in Hebrew. The episode in the upper part of the panel shows the king seated on the throne who is extending the scepter to Esther attended by two maidservants. The scene is witnessed by guardians and possibly courtiers. Most likely it alludes to Es. 5:2. Below, the Hebrew inscription: מגלת אסתר עם זכרון תודה - is placed that is flanked by a dragon (on the right) and an angel (on the left). On either side of the Hebrew text, a man standing on a decorative pedestal ending with leaves and tendrils is represented. On the right, there is a man with a scroll in his hands (Mordecai), and on the left, a man with his head down is depicted (Haman). At the bottom of the panel, the triumph of Mordecai (Es. 6:11) is shown. Mordecai on horseback is a central figure and the scene is crowded with several other figures.

The text reads as follows:

מגלת אסתר 

עם

זכרון תודה

להטוב ולהישר בלבו, על

כל הטובה והחסד אשר

הרבה לעשות עמדי, הוא

ידידי חכם חרשים נדיב לב

כ' דוד לעווי על'אן נ"י.

יצ"ו הק אתו את הכרבה אמן.

מאתי נאמנו

טהירינגער הסופר

שנת נצר חסד לאלפים, לפ"ק

פה ק"ק קעלן יע"א

Name/Title
GFC David Levy Elkan and Thüringer Printed Esther Scroll | Unknown
Object Detail
decorative prefatory panel
Settings
Unknown
Date
1843
Synagogue active dates
Reconstruction dates
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
Unknown |
Congregation
Unknown
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Unknown
Period Detail
Collection
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Material / Technique
Ink on parchment (printed text and decorations)
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
The scroll: 147x855 mm.
Length of the sheets in the scroll: 1) 425 mm, 2) 430 mm.
Dimensions of the selected details in the scroll:
- text panel: 94x46 mm;
- decoration surrounding text panel: 130x63 mm.
Height
Length
Width
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Condition

The scroll is preserved in very good condition.

It lacks only a small part of the decoration in the prefatory panel - the lower part of the figure on the right is missing, therefore, it was supplemented and the design was hand-drawn.

Extant
Documented by CJA
Surveyed by CJA
Present Usage
Present Usage Details
Condition of Building Fabric
Architectural Significance type
Historical significance: Event/Period
Historical significance: Collective Memory/Folklore
Historical significance: Person
Architectural Significance: Style
Architectural Significance: Artistic Decoration
Urban significance
Significance Rating
Textual Content
Unknown |
Languages of inscription
Unknown
Shape / Form
Unknown
0
Ornamentation
Custom
Contents

The Book of Esther in Hebrew preceded by a Hebrew inscription.

Codicology

The scroll is formed of 2 sheets containing 11 text columns with 42 lines of printed text.

The first sheet contains a prefatory panel and 5 columns of the text and the second sheet contains 6 columns.

Haman's sons section is incorporated in col. 9; its text is placed in the last 11 lines (divided into two parts) of the column.

The original text was written in the Hebrew Ashkenazi stam script with tagin.

The letters ח (Es. 1:6) and ת (Es. 9:29) are highlighted by their size. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in Haman's sons section (col. 9).

The parchment is bright and rather stiff, both sides are almost identical, the blank side is very smooth.

The membranes in the scroll are stitched together.

Scribes
Script
Number of Lines
Ruling
Pricking
Quires
Catchwords
Hebrew Numeration
Blank Leaves
Direction/Location
Façade (main)
Endivances
Location of Torah Ark
Location of Apse
Location of Niche
Location of Reader's Desk
Location of Platform
Temp: Architecture Axis
Arrangement of Seats
Location of Women's Section
Direction Prayer
Direction Toward Jerusalem
Coin
Coin Series
Coin Ruler
Coin Year
Denomination
Signature
In the prefatory panel, there is an inscription by the scribe who introduces himself as Thüringer Ha-Sofer (טהירינגער הסופר); his name is unknown. He mentions also David Levy Elkan in it.
Colophon
Scribal Notes

In the prefatory panel of the scroll, some details regarding its production are included; the column is entitled in Hebrew: מגלת אסתר עם זכרון תודה - "Megilath Esther im Zichron Todah."

Watermark
Hallmark
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
Summary and Remarks

Another copy of this megillah is housed in The Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary (the scroll has been cut into 11 leaves and pasted into a book) and yet another copy was auctioned by Kestenbaum in 2015 (https://www.kestenbaum.net/auction/lot/auction-66/066-102/).

The name of the scribe is unknown; in the inscription incorporated in the prefatory panel, he introduced himself as Thüringer Ha-Sofer (טהירינגער הסופר). 

Remarks
Suggested Reconsdivuction
History/Provenance
Main Surveys & Excavations
Bibliography

Another copy of the scroll featuring the same border is shortly described on https://www.kestenbaum.net/auction/lot/auction-66/066-102/ (accessed on 16.09.2020).

For other works of David Levy Elkan see https://www.bildindex.de/ete?action=displayResult/1 (accessed on 18.09.2020).

David Levy Elkan is listed among engravers in the Jewish Encyclopedia: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5768-engraving-and-engravers (accessed on 16.09.2020).

More literature is listed: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Levy_Elkan (accessed on 16.09.2020).

Short Name
Full Name
Volume
Page
Type
Documenter
Dagmara Budzioch | 2020
Author of description
Dagmara Budzioch | 2020
Architectural Drawings
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Computer Reconstruction
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Section Head
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Language Editor
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Donor
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Negative/Photo. No.
M002260