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Obj. ID: 5375
Sacred and Ritual Objects
  Torah case made of metal can, Greece, 20th c.

© Center for Jewish Art, Photographer: Radovan, Zev, 2003

The oval Torah case consists of a body with a flat roof and bottom, and is adorned by a crenellation of triangles.

The case is divided into two vertical halves adjusted to contain the Torah scroll, rolled on two staves. It is closed by a hook in the front and joined by two hinges at the back. Each axis is emphasized by two crenellated triangles flanking them on the top.

The wooden case is covered with four brown pieces of carton, originally used as a packing box for onion soup mix. It was delivered fromNew York, as is apparent from the manufacturer's imprint stamped on its surface:

"Dried cream of onion soup base/ net weight: 48 LBS/ date of process: May 194?/ date of packaging: May 194?/ the Borden company ofNew York,N.Y./ contract No. FSC – (D) – 1293/ Gross weight 57.LBS/ Contract No/ AH-F (F) 8880/ [?] M MODITY code/ 00.351 8?20."

The ochre-coloured roof is surrounded by the carton's rims and has hinges for hanging a Torah wrapper. Two metal plaques covering the holes for inserting the Torah scroll staves are on the roof and the bottom of the case.  

The inner face is plain wood, lined with brown carton. Two aluminum bars are attached to the inner face, to enable the scroll to be rolled without tearing the parchment (see: Remarks).

Summary and Remarks

This Torah case is one of three documented cases originating in Trikala made from materials in a secondary use. The cases were probably created after WWII, when the few Jewish returnees to Trikala found themselves with no financial means to create new Torah cases with which to conduct the synagogue services.  It appears that they used ordinary utensils and materials to build sacred objects (for example, Torah case Sc.541-11 or a spice container Sc.541-45). Torah cases were made of stiff carton that originally packaged various imported goods. Thus, the inflexible original shape of the packaging enforced the new shape of the case and later influenced the development of a local oval design also found in several other cases (see, for example: Torah cases Sc.541- 9, Sc.541-12).

Since the cases were probably created by non-professionals, the new form caused some functional problems: the oval shape didn't allow for the scrolling of the Torah, making it impossible to read and to roll. Therefore, different accommodations were made.  For example, aluminum bars were added lengthwise along the back axis in order to enable the rolling of the scroll without tearing it. In some Trikala Torah cases the staves for the scrolls do not correspond the bars for the finials. It is possible that they were adjusted to fit the size of the scrolls (fig. 1; Sc.541-10) rendering the aluminum bars useless.

Remarks

17 image(s)

sub-set tree:

Name/Title
Torah case made of metal can | Unknown
Object Detail
Monument Setting
Unknown
Date
After 1940s
Synagogue active dates
Reconstruction dates
Artist/ Maker
Unknown
Origin
Historical Origin
Community type
Congregation
Unknown
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Unknown
Period Detail
Collection
Greece | Sc_578
| 10
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Iconographical Subject
Unknown |
Textual Content
Unknown |
Languages of inscription
Unknown
Shape / Form
Unknown
Material / Technique
Wood, carton, aluminum bars
Material Stucture
sawed, four pieces of carton glued to the wooden body
Material Decoration
sawed, carved
Material Bonding
hinged, nailed
Material Inscription
printed
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
Height
383 mm
Length
Width
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
477 mm
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Condition

The Torah case is in good condition.

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
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
Suggested Reconsdivuction
History/Provenance

The Torah case is a secondary use of a carton box, that contained "dried cream of onion soup base," sent from New York and produced by the well-known American company "Borden" founded in 1856 (see: www.bordenonline.com).

Unfortunately, the exact year is missing in the inscription. Another case (Sc.541-11) was likewise fashioned of a container imported from the States, which contained mazzot possibly sent by American Jews to the Trikala community, in order to properly celebrate Passover.

Main Surveys & Excavations
Sources
Type
Documenter
Omer Gavri | 04.03
Author of description
Irina Chernetsky, Ariella Amar | 09.07
Architectural Drawings
|
Computer Reconstruction
|
Section Head
Ariella Amar | 09.07
Language Editor
Judith Cardozo | 09.07
Donor
UNESCO |
Negative/Photo. No.
The following information on this monument will be completed:
Unknown |