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Obj. ID: 3909
Sacred and Ritual Objects
  Book binding, Halberstadt, 1761

© Gross Family Collection, Photographer: Bar Hama, Ardon,

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The bindings of Jewish books are generally quite simple, but there does exist a tradition, probably among the wealthier section of the population, of binding books in special and elegant ways utilizing a variety of material.

Silver book bindings are one of the most elegant objects of Jewish ritual art. The form is generally copied from Catholic and Orthodox Christian tradition where prayer books were often covered with silver bindings in keeping with the other elegant silver pieces used in the prayer service. As in many other areas of life, Jews emulated some customs from what they saw of their Christian neighbors. Since such a binding was an expensive purchase for an individual, such silver pieces are fairly rare. Their appearance is most widespread in Italy, but examples also exist from Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Austria and even the Ottoman Empire.

One of the rarer Jewish ritual objects in Germany is the silver book binding. They usually contained prayer books and were often given as gifts between the bridal couple. This beautiful silver binding containing a siddur was made as a gift for Rabbi Yehudah Leib Eiger (1741-1814), the uncle of the famous Rabbi Akiba Eiger. This was a gift from his wife Hendel, probably on the occasion of their marriage. At the time of the marriage Yehudah was 20 years old.

Inscription: Front: Rabbi Leib, son of the genius, head of the rabbinical court, our teacher, the Rabbi Akiva Eiger, the righteous, of blessed memory Back: Hendele, the daughter of our teacher, the Rabbi Itzik, may his rock protect and sustain him, (5)521, (1761), according to the minor reckoning

Summary and Remarks
Remarks

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Name/Title
Book binding | Unknown
Object Detail
Monument Setting
Unknown
Date
1761
Active dates
Reconstruction dates
Artist/ Maker
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
Unknown |
Congregation
Unknown
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Unknown
Period Detail
Collection
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Textual Content
Unknown |
Languages of inscription
Unknown
Shape / Form
Unknown
Material / Technique
Silver, Brass Foil, Pierced, Chased, Engraved
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
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Construction material
Measurements
Height: 19 cm, Width: 13.5 cm, Depth: 5.8 cm Weight: 1232 (w/ book)
Height
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Weight
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Panel Measurements
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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
0
Ornamentation
Custom
Contents
Codicology
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
Colophon
Scribal Notes
Watermark
Hallmark
City - Schf #212 (Halberstadt); Maker - FS (unidentified)
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
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Negative/Photo. No.
The following information on this monument will be completed:
Unknown |