Obj. ID: 3495
Sacred and Ritual Objects Torah coronet, Libya, early 20th century
The Torah coronet is made up of twelve ogee-arch units, connected by twisted columns.
The facets are adjusted to the prismatic shape of the Torah case, which they are crowning, and it opens into two halves (fig. 1). Each facet is decorated with an oval medallion enclosing an amphora standing on a three legged base with four flowers, comprising the Four Flower Ottoman motif. At the bottom of each unit is an inscribed rectangle, creating all together a circumferential band, with two identical Hebrew dedications.
The inscriptions are engraved in square Hebrew filled letters and read:
"כתר/ תורה/ הקדש/ לישיבת/ ר"י (ר' יצחק) ור"א (ורבי אברהם)/ חדאד/ זיע"א (זכותם יגן עלינו אמן)."
“A Torah crown dedicated to the Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac and Rabbi Abraham Hadad, may their virtue protect us, amen."
A hanger holding a pair of branches with chains carrying bells is suspended from the top of each arch.
Hooks for attaching the coronet to the Torah case are attached to the back side of the facets: two to the front units and one to the fourth facet from each side.
The owner of the coronet, as well as most Djerbian Jews, relates the origin of silver coronets to Libya, accordingly naming them "Libyan coronets". Indeed the custom of using silver coronets on wooden cases is common among the Libyan communities, and was introduced to the Djerbian Jews by Libyan immigrants who came to the Island or by pilgrims who visited the sacred al Ğribah Synagogue. Such coronets, or rather units detached from silver coronets were donated to the synagogue and are displayed their. Examples are the dedications exhibited on the Torah Arks' doors in the al Ğribah Synagogue, as the plaque dedicated by Jacob Franz from Tripoli, in the early 20th century, and many others.
12 image(s)
sub-set tree:
Structure: cut
Decoration: chased, engraved, punched
Bonding: soldered, hinges
Inscription: engraved
Width: 280 mm (general), 91 mm (facet)