Obj. ID: 37887 JML Esther Scroll with Wreaths and Floral Decorations, The Netherlands, 18th century (?)
Length of the sheets in the scroll: 1) ca. 800 mm, 2) 650 mm, 3) 620 mm, 4) 50 mm, 5) ca. 640, 6) 650 mm, 7) 725 mm, 8) 570 mm, 9) 570 mm, 10) 640 mm, 11) 700 mm.
Dimensions of the selected details in the scroll:
- wreaths of flowers: 190-195 mm (diameter);
- decorations between the text columns: 200x38 mm;
- upper margins: 40 mm;
- lower margins: 60 mm;
- an average letter: 6 mm;
- letter ח in Es. 1:6 and letters in col. 24: 12 mm.
The roller: ca. 590 mm (height).
The manuscript is preserved in very good condition, although the first membrane is slightly damaged and crumpled.
It seems that on some sections of the text, the second layer of ink is applied.
The fabric that is sewn to the right edge of the first membrane and its upper-right corner is torn and is very loosely joined with the sheet. The fabric is dirty and faded.
There are some "patches" underneath the sheets.
The scroll is embellished with hand-painted floral decoration. Its opening and final parts are adorned with large wreaths of roses, tulips, daffodils, carnations, sunflowers, and other types of flowers. The same flowers fill the spaces between the text columns; these compositions vary, although they contain the same species of flowers.
A piece of dusty pink fabric (possibly silk) is sewn underneath a part of the first membrane (it is below the opening decoration and the first two text columns).
The scroll is mounted on a wooden turned roller.
The Book of Esther in Hebrew
The scroll is composed of 11 sheets containing a total of 28 columns of text with 21 lines each, except for col. 24 with 11 lines divided into two half-columns.
Sheets nos. 1-3, 5-8, and 10 contain 3 columns of the text, sheets nos. 9 and 11 contain 2 columns, and on sheet no. 4 only a floral decoration is painted.
The text is written in Hebrew square Sephardi script with tagin in black ink on the flesh side of the parchment membranes that are rather thin. The side of the text and decorations is brighter and smoother than the other side, although it is still bright.
The letter ח (Es. 1:6) is highlighted by its size (it is larger than other letters in the scroll and bolded) and is decorated with 3 tagin. Similarly, the letter ת (Es. 9:29) is marked. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 24.
There are some erasures and corrections in the text.
The ruling is partly visible: vertical lines are better visible than horizontal lines.
The membranes in the scroll are stitched together.
None
In the scroll, some remains of drawings sketched in pencil can be seen.
After the third membrane, a short piece of parchment is added (310x50 mm) that is filled solely with a flower decoration. Its style and colors are slightly different than the main decoration in the scroll. A few other decorations in the scroll feature the same style and it can be assumed that the decorations were created by two artists.
Seams' marks on the edges of the first membrane are visible; this suggests that originally the fabric covered the entire sheet.
No bibliography on the scroll is available.