Pair of Torah Finials – Filigreed Silver – Rotterdam, 19th...

Pair of Torah Finials – Filigreed Silver – Rotterdam, 19th Century

Pair of Torah finials. Rotterdam, the Netherlands, [ca. 1860].
Silver, cast; filigree.
Hallmarks: · Fineness mark; · Maker's mark, "Freen W." (active Dordrecht, near Rotterdam, ca. 1856-1866).
Weighty pair of Torah finials, exhibiting dense filigree in vegetal patterns. Hexagonal, three-tiered tower-shaped bodies, with "balconies" separating the various tiers. The body of each finial consists of seven distinct parts, including the three tiers. Each face features a window with a small aperture for a bell; most of the bells are missing. Each finial is surmounted by a crown, in turn surmounted by a large sphere. The lower tier of each finial has a filigreed, cup-shaped hexagonal base, with bells suspended above it. Each base is supported by a short cylindrical shaft.
The collection of the Joods Historisch Museum, Amsterdam, includes a Torah crown, as well as two other pairs of Torah finials very similar to the present finials. All three items (nos. MB00285, M014232, and MB00685) were created by the silversmith Freen W.

Height: 42 cm. Overall good condition. Numerous bells are missing.

Provenance: Synagogue of the Beth Juliana Parents Home, Herzliya.