Obj. ID: 23656 Hanukkah lamp, India, circa 1900
sub-set tree:
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.
The form of the Indian Chanukah menorah is often decorated by the Magen David, although usually this is cut out of brass on a wooden back. This cast brass open triangle back with the Magen David in the center is quite unusual in its form and exceedingly rare. Since it was made as a unique creation, each oil receptacle is stamped with a number corresponding to another such number on the triangular frame so as to ensure the proper fit for use on the holiday. The triangular shape is typical of openwork Chanukah lamps from India.