Bidspirit auction | Rare and Important Gilded Silver

Rare and Important Gilded Silver Megillah Case with an Ornate Parchment Megillah. Izmir-Turkey, ca. 1850 - Magnificent Megillah Case made of quality gilded filigree with an original illustrated and decorated parchment Megillah.  This important and rare work of art was made in the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century.  Many Jewish communities were located across the vast expanse of the Ottoman Empire. Among the wealthy Jewish families of Izmir (Western Turkey on the Aegean Sea), it was customary for the father of a ”marriageable” daughter to give the potential groom a Megillat Ester in an elaborately decorated case. This case was undoubtedly ordered and owned by one of the affluent Jewish families in the empire. This magnificent case is particularly large, measuring 40 cm (15.7 inches) in length. The entire case was handcrafted in an exceptionally beautiful and high-quality manner by a master silversmith. It is known that such fine and delicate filigree work was typically produced by Armenian silversmiths of Izmir. The weaving of fine, thin, gilded silver wires, creating floral and decorative motifs, adorns the case along its entire length. The top of this important case is designed to resemble a fish motif. The fish motif carries a dual symbolic meaning . Purim is celebrated in the Hebrew month of Adar, and its zodiac symbol, of course, is the fish. Fish also represent a biblical text referring to fish in terms of fertility, and as noted earlier, these types of scrolls were often used as engagement gifts.  A rare and important collectible fit for a museum.