Bidspirit auction | Esther Scroll Adorned with Colorful

Esther Scroll Adorned with Colorful Horseshoe Arches – Morocco, Early 19th Century - Decorated Esther scroll. Morocco, [possibly Essaouira (formerly Mogador), early 19th century]. Ink and paint on parchment; turned wood. Esther scroll, written on 4 sheets of parchment sewn together, 36 columns of text, 14-17 lines per column. Each column of text is enclosed within an elegant horseshoe-arch-shaped frame. Adjacent frames separated by colorful vegetal and geometric patterns. Wound around a dark-colored wooden handle. For similarly decorated Esther scrolls originating from Essaouira (Mogador), Morocco, see: The Center for Jewish Art (CJA), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Item Nos. 39607 and 39608. Height of parchment sheets: 13 cm. Condition varies: poor to good. Beginning of scroll in poor condition, with significant browning stains, creases, missing pieces, and damage to text and illuminations. Most of the remainder of the scroll in condition ranging from good to fair-good. Tears to edges of some of the sheets. Unraveled stitches at attachments of adjoining sheets. End of scroll in fair condition. Missing strip of parchment (16X4.5 cm in size), with damage to text of last two columns. Height of handle: 25 cm. Good condition. Ornament missing from upper knob.