Obj. ID: 39147
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Hanukkah lamp, Russian Empire, circa 1825

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The festival of Chanukah is celebrated in the winter period around December and commemorates a Biblical story in which the Jews of the Land of Israel rebel against the Greek occupiers. They reclaim the desecrated Holy Temple in Jerusalem and, miraculously, the small amount of pure oil remaining is enough to keep the Temple light going for eight days. Lamps with eight burners are lit during this holiday, both in the synagogue and at home. Through the centuries, such lamps have taken a wide variety of forms.

More than any other style of Chanukah menorah, this form represents Galicia and the Ukraine. In the literature it is called the "Baal Shem Tov" lamp, but this name dates only from 1928 when a gift to the then Bezalel Museum was reported as having belonged to the family of the Hassidic master, the “Baal Shem Tov”. All of these lamps date from far after his death, but the legendary name has remained for the last 70 years and is still widely used today. This particularly aesthetic lamp was first made in Galicia, apparently starting in the 1820's. With the development of the Jewish silver crafts in Zhitomir in the 1850's these lamps were then produced there, often marked. There are a few examples that were produced in England at the end of that century, probably by immigrant silversmiths from the Ukraine. No matter where their origin, they usually appear with the symbol of the double-headed eagle, as in this example, or with the Holy Ark with two doors. Birds, lions and griffins are often depicted. The large number of examples remaining would indicate that the use of this type was quite widespread. Examples have appeared at auction quite regularly over the last decade.

In spite of the relatively large number of existing examples for such a work intensive Chanukah Lamp, the demand at auction is always great and the prices high. This particular piece is in superb condition and complete. Unfortunately there are no lists of Galician silversmiths from this period so we cannot know the name of the atisan. But since many handcrafts in this area were done by Jews, it is most likely crafted by a Jewish silversmith.