Bidspirit auction | Large Torah Shield Stylized as

Large Torah Shield Stylized as Ark – Poland, Late 18th Century - Torah shield. [Poland, late 18th century]. Silver, cast, repoussé, embossed, sawed and pierced (unmarked); gilt; gemstones. A large, impressive Torah shield, designed in an architectural pattern, stylized as a Torah ark, and decorated with gemstones and inscriptions made of cut-out gilt silver letters. The center of the shield features an ark with two doors on hinges, with a repoussé decoration resembling a Torah scroll – inscribed ”Consecrated to the Lord”, made of cut-out silver letters – and a rectangular compartment for replacement plaques (three double-sided plaques are enclosed, perhaps more recent). Around the Torah ark are decorations in vegetal patterns and two large pillars – screwed on and protruding outwards – standing on square bases decorated with clusters of grapes. Above the pillars is a balcony protruding outwards, with a canopy-like decoration bearing bells (most lacking). Another decoration in the form of the Tablets of the Law is located above the balcony, with the Ten Commandments written in cut-out gilt silver letters. At the top of the shield is a large crown protruding outwards, supported by a pair of griffons, with a base decorated with four gemstones and a Biblical chronogram from Bereshit 24:63 (also made of cut-out gilt silver letters; it is not entirely clear which year the chronogram refers to). The edges of the shield feature further decorations in vegetal patterns, a pair of erect lions (supporting the bases of pillars) and a pair of birds of prey. Original three-tiered suspension chain. A similar Torah shield is located in the Jewish Museum of Prague (JMP 012.293). See: Kuntoš, Silver Judaica from the Collection of the Jewish Museum in Prague (Prague, 2012), no. 18. For Polish Torah arks resembling this Torah shield, see: Piechotka, Heaven's Gates: Wooden Synagogues in the Territories of the Former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Warsaw, 2004), p. 181, image 267; p. 284, image 454; p. 382, image 640. Height: 39 cm. Width: 28 cm. Weight: 1650 g. Fair-good condition. Minor warping and fractures, mainly to edges, with some pieces lacking. Bells lacking from canopy decoration. Handle and locking device may be lacking from door of ark. Many old soldering repairs, mainly to center-bottom of shield. Two tall, wide silver plates nailed onto back of shield, to support edges (apparently added shortly after it was produced).