Obj. ID: 8217
Sacred and Ritual Objects Torah case, Israel/Eretz Israel, 1938
The cylindrical Torah case consists of a body, a crown and a crest.
The cylindrical body is composed of two sections. It is covered with a blue cloth. Horizontal friezes encircle the body at its bottom, center and top. The central frieze is decorated with a floral pattern. The lower and upper friezes bear an inscription in square filled letters. The inscription begins on the upper frieze, continues on the lower one and reads:
“This case and the Torah scroll inside it are made by the dear Yehesqel Izhaq (Ezekiel Isaac), may the Lord
sustain him and grant him favour, and his wife Marvari Bazragan (?), blessed shall she be above women in
tent (see: Judg. 5:24), may they win to the coming of Messiah, for anywhere that the owners of the Torah
scroll want to put, to take it out and to transfere it in other places, the permission is in their hands and their
representatives.”
Silver plaques in the shape of vertical cartouches and triangles decorate the body between the friezes. The plaques are arranged in a circular composition around each of the two hook clasp which fasten the case. Each arrangement comprises two cartouches, one on each side of the opening, bottomed and topped by two inverted and two erected triangles, accordingly. The cartouches are decorated with a star surmounted by a crescent and flanked by two birds, surrounded by floral and geometrical patterns.The triangles are ornated with a pattern of dots framed by intermittent lines. Two rows of similar erected and inverted triangular plaques encirle the body between the friezes.
The body’s upper edge terminates in a crenellation composed of triangular teeth covered by the cloth. A domed nail is stuck in each tooth.
A ring is attached above each clasp.
An onion-shaped crown surmounts the body. It is covered with a similar blue cloth. Eight drop-shaped plaques decorated with the similar motif of star, crescent and birds encirle the crown towards its bottom.
An undulating crest surmounts the crown. It consists of two compressed globes topped by a raised dome.
Two mounts are affixed to the crown on each side.
The inner face of the body is covered with a cloth decorated with peacocks. The inner face of the crest is covered with the blue cloth of the exterior.
Two mirror dedicatory plaques are attached to the interior face of the crown. The plaques are trapezoidal with rounded side borders, following the crown’s shape. The inscription is arranged in six horizontal lines inside a pointed multifoil arched frame. The frame is divided in six horizontal rows, each row including a line. The frame is surrounded by a floral pattern.The inscription begins on the left plaques and continues on the right. It is in square filled letters and reads:
“And this is the Law which Moses set before the children of Israel (Deut. 4:44). This case and the Torah scroll
inside it are made by the dear Yehesqel Izhaq, may the lord sustain him and grant him favour, and his wife
Marvari Bazragan blessed shall she be above women in the tent, may the Lord prolong their days with good,
the year (5)698 (=1938).”
The cartouch plaques were originally designed to be used in a unique horizontal position, according to that of the decorational motif which ornates them.
sub-set tree:
Structure: casted (clasps)
Decoration: repousse, stamped
Bonding: nailed, axial
Inscription: repousse, written