Obj. ID: 38529
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Passover towel, Germany, circa 1900

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The use of a decorated towel cover is a custom largely limited to the German-speaking areas in Europe. These covers are usually embroidered and date from the 18th and 19th centuries. This object was used to make the plain towel a decorative item for the festive evening.

Virtually all of the embroidered and painted Pesach towels extant in collections today originate in the areas of Alsace and southern Germany. They are generally filled with folk motifs and each one has its own particular charm. This towel comes from a German family originally from Frankfurt d. Oder and was probably fashioned at the beginning of the 20th century. It was purchased from a family descendant. The embroidery depicts the four cups of wine with short texts from the Passover Haggadah. The rich embroidery techniques and fine fabric border are unusual for the time and the sumptuous presentation makes this a highly unusual item. This item was purchased from the same German origin family as the embroidery, Gross Family Collection 001.014.008.

Inscription: Shivat Yamim Tochal Matzot