Miniature Esther scroll. [Israel, ca. mid-20th century].

Ink and paint on parchment; silver, sawed and repoussé (marked with Israeli tax mark – "13" enclosed within Hebrew letter "mem, " in use since 1950s); glass beads; gilt.

"HaMelech" Esther scroll (i.e. most columns headed with the word "HaMelech" – "the king"), miniature format, inscribed on four parchment membranes glued together, 39 columns of text, 11 lines per column.

The scroll is hand-decorated throughout, in shades of yellow, red, blue, green, and brown, with the broad columns of text separated by spiraling architectonic columns with fancy capitals and bases. Above each column of text is a set of three small arches interspersed with a pair of vegetal-patterned decorations.

Housed in a cylindrical silver case decorated with vegetal patterns, and, at center, with an imposing image of a winged "deity" holding a large ring in one hand, while pointing upward with the other arm and hand. This figure may represent Faravahar, ancient Persian symbol of the Zoroastrian religion, or alternatively the Mesopotamian deity Ashur. Case with red glass beads set within the vegetal-shaped ornaments; with undulating upper and lower rims also set with red glass beads; and surmounted by a dome-shaped blue plastic cap in turn surmounted by a flagpole and flag. Conical handle at bottom.

Height of parchment: 3.1 cm. Length of scroll: approx. 215 cm. Height of case (incl. handle and flag): 13 cm. Overall good condition. Some of the glued attachments connecting the adjoining sheets are loose.

For similar Esther scrolls, see: Sotheby’s, December 19, 2007, Lot 200; December 15, 2016, Lot 108. These Esther scrolls were previously dated to the 1920s and 1930s, but a somewhat later dating, to ca. 1950s, seems in order.

Provenance:

1. Oscar and Regina Gruss Collection, New York.

2. Heirs of the above.

The Oscar and Regina Gruss Collection
In 1939, Oscar and Regina Gruss fled their hometown of Lvov (then part of Poland, now in Ukraine), narrowly escaping the Holocaust, and eventually settling in the United States. In the years following the war, they devoted themselves to assembling one of the finest collections of Jewish ceremonial art in the USA, with a particular focus on silverwork and 19th-century Jewish paintings.
Their collection featured masterpieces by celebrated artists such as Isidor Kaufmann, Moritz Daniel Oppenheim, and Solomon Alexander Hart. Many of these works were generously donated to The Jewish Museum, New York, while others remained within the family. The paintings in this catalogue are being offered at auction for the first time.
For additional items from the collection of Oscar and Regina Gruss in the present catalogue, see lot nos. 133, 144, 147, 153, 154, 204 and 205.

The Kennicott Bible. Elaborate facsimile published by Facsimile Editions. Including commentary volume. London, [1985]. Copy no. 155, of a limited edition of 500 copies (altogether 550 copies were printed, including 50 AP – Ad Personam copies, which are identical to the regular copies).

A facsimile of the Kennicott Bible, illuminated Spanish manuscript from 1476, named after Benjamin Kennicott (1718-1783), English churchman and Hebraist, who purchased it for the Radcliffe Library in England. The manuscript was commissioned by Don Solomon de Braga, about twenty years before the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. It was designed and written by Moshe ibn Zabara and illuminated by Yosef ibn Chaim, in a fashion inspired by Islamic art. The manuscript contains the complete Bible, with the Radak commentary and Sefer HaMichlol.

An exceptionally beautiful facsimile, which was published after five and a half years of preparation. Printed on thick paper of excellent quality, specially created to reproduce the appearance of the parchment upon which the original manuscript was written. The gilding was done by hand, by seven artists who worked continuously for four months. Bound in an ornamented leather binding.

Facsimile: [444] leaves. 30 cm. Gilt edges. Commentary volume: 97 pages. Good condition. Facsimile and commentary volume in fine slipcase. Stains and defects to slipcase (open tears to fabric coating on upper part of slipcase and minor tears to edges). Closing band of case lacking.

Manuscript, Sefer Evronot. [Germany, 1615-1617].

Cursive Ashkenazic script, with illustrations, decorations and embellished tables (some with color).

The scribe of the manuscript incorporated his name into the table for calculating tekufot, on p. 53b: "I, Eliezer son of Binyamin HaKohen of Hünfeld" (near Fulda). Throughout the manuscript, the calculations mention the years 1615, 1616 and 1617 as the years of writing: "Now in 5377 [1617] we have gone through 282 cycles…" (p. 18a); "Now we are in the year 5377 [1617]…" (p. 19a); "Such as now in the year 5376 [1616]…" (p. 34a); "Such as now, when we are in the year 5376 [1616]…" (p. 40b); "Now in 5375 [1615] you wish to know how the calendar for 5376 will be fixed…" (p. 43a), and more. Some leaves have watermarks resembling those appearing on paper manufactured in Germany in the late 16th century.

Throughout the manuscript are incorporated illustrations, decorations and decorated initial words, in various colors. Apart from text and decorated tables which also appear in parallel manuscripts of the work (such as the illustration of a palm for calculating tekufot, an illustration of a table with a jar, and more), there also appear illustrations depicting the daily life of the period, with figures dressed in the fashion of the times (a figure holding scales in one hand and a sword in the other, with the sun and moon and a European city in the background – p. 17b; people drawing water from a well with a mechanical device – p. 47b; a figure dressed as a noble, girding a sword and holding a spear – p. 59b). On leaves 76-83 appear tables for calculating the Christian months and holidays, as well as illustrations of the zodiacs. The opening and closing of the Frankfurt trade fair is also mentioned (p. 77a).

Traditions from "R. Wolf of Moravia[?]" (p. 85a) and "R. Akiva of Frankfurt" (p. 89a) are mentioned [these two sections were copied from an earlier manuscript; R. Akiva of Frankfurt, who is mentioned with a blessing for the living, had already passed away in 1597].

In addition to the main text handwritten by the above scribe appear glosses and additions by other writers. On leaves 1-2 appear variations of the name "Avraham son of Binyamin HaKohen of Hünfeld", apparently the brother of the scribe of this manuscript.

On p. 20b, lengthy marginal gloss: "…For example, now in [1633]… the molad of Tishrei…"; on p. 47b, signed addition: "I wrote this from the Evronot of R. Elazar Trescher"; on p. 58b, signed addition: "I wrote this from the Evronot…"; on the Christian calendars (leaves 76-83) are added inscriptions detailing when the Hebrew calendar begins in 1635-1645; on p. 93b: "I studied from this Evronot… Elyakim son of Naftali HaLevi Segal"; and additional inscriptions.

Sefer Evronot is a work on the Hebrew calendar, intercalation, determination of dates of festivals, tekufot, Christian holidays and more. This work (edited by R. Eliezer son of Yaakov Blin) was first printed in Lublin, 1615, and later reprinted in other editions. The work was correspondingly copied in manuscripts in various adaptations and additions, with the calendars and examples updated to the current year.

[93] leaves. Approx. 19 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Open tears to many leaves, affecting text and illustrations. All leaves professionally restored with paper. New leather binding.

Tikkunei Shabbat, according to the teachings of R. Isaac Luria Ashkenazi – the Arizal. Illuminated manuscript on parchment, created by the scribe and artist Jacob ben Judah Leib Shamas of Berlin. Hamburg, 1723.

Ink and paint on parchment.

A small-format manuscript, written in Ashkenazic square script and semi-cursive (Rashi) script. The texts in square script are fully vocalized. On several leaves, Yiddish translations appear in Ashkenazic semi-cursive script (Vaybertaytsh / "Tz'enah Ur'enah"). All pages are bordered with gold frames and feature wide margins. Small floral illustrations are interwoven throughout the manuscript, serving as dividers between different sections, and also appear in the colophons as full lines.

The Text and Colophon

The title page details the manuscript's contents: "Tikkunei Shabbat, according to… R. Isaac Luria Ashkenazi… Additionally, included is the order for Motza'ei Shabbat and the Blessing of the Moon". Indeed, the manuscript contains the following texts: Seder Kabbalat Shabbat, Kiddush for Shabbat, customs for the Shabbat meal and the order of the first meal, Shabbat evening zemirot, Torah study portions for Shabbat day, Shabbat day zemirot, Mincha for Shabbat, zemirot for Motza'ei Shabbat, Havdalah, and the customs for the Blessing of the Moon.

The scribe signed his name twice: the first signature appears in a detailed colophon on p. [61]b: "By the hand of the writer, Jacob ben R. Judah Leib Shamas of Berlin, at present a Stam scribe in Hamburg, in 1723"; the second signature appears in a shorter colophon on the final page (p. [63]b): "Jacob, Stam scribe from Berlin, in 1723".

Illustrations and Ornamentation

The manuscript opens with a fully illustrated title page in black and white. At the top, two angels blow golden trumpets, surrounded by five biblical scenes, each accompanied by a relevant verse (clockwise): The Revelation on Mount Sinai (Giving of the Torah), Elijah ascending to heaven in his chariot, Isaac sowing his field, Joseph in the house of his Egyptian master, and Samuel anointing David as king. These illustrations are modeled after an engraving that first appeared as the title page of the Amsterdam Bible, printed by Joseph Athias in 1659-1660.

Additionally, the manuscript contains five more illustrations, depicting:

P. [10]a: A miniature illustration of King Solomon seated on his throne (accompanying the Song of Songs).

P. [21]a: Illustration of a festive meal (accompanying the Kiddush for Friday night).

P. [35]a: Illustration of a festive meal (accompanying the Kiddush for Shabbat).

P. [47]a: Illustration of a festive meal (accompanying the blessings for the third meal).

P. [58]a: Illustration of the Havdalah ceremony (accompanying the Havdalah blessings).

Large initial words, illustrated or gilt decorated, on pp. [3]a, [5]a, [7]a, [21]b, [35]b, [48]a, [55]b, [59]b, [62]a and [62]b.

The scribe-artist, Jacob ben Judah Leib Shamas of Berlin, is considered one of the most prolific scribes of the "Hamburg-Altona School" of the first half of the 18th century, which also included the scribe-artists Joseph ben David Leipnik and Uri Feivish ben Isaac Segal. Between ca. 1717 and 1741, he produced over 35 Hebrew manuscripts, including prayer and custom books for circumcision, Passover Haggadot, Tikkunei Shabbat, Perek Shira, Tehillim, and more.

Five of his manuscripts, preserved in the Rosenthaliana Library, Amsterdam, have been extensively studied and described by Emile Schrijver (see below). His work has also been thoroughly researched by Iris Fishof (see below).

Another seven manuscripts of "Tikkunei Shabbat" by Jacob Shamas are known, including: a 1728 manuscript, kept in the Jewish Museum, London (Barnett, no. 627); a 1730 manuscript, kept in the Rosenthaliana Library (Ms. Rosenthaliana 661); two manuscripts kept in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem (B81.0935; Ms. 180/097 and 180/010); a 1719 manuscript, kept in the Hamburg State and University Library (Ms. Levy 60); two additional manuscripts in private collections.

[64] leaves. 14.3X8.7 cm. Overall good condition. A few stains. Stains to first parchment leaf (before title page). Some loose leaves. Original red leather binding with gilt-tooling, placed in original cardboard slipcase. Damage to spine (peeling leather). Small tears and creases to slipcase edges. Ownership inscription dated 1782 on second endpaper: "Purchased from Polack for 14 Reichsthaler… 15th Shevat 1782…". Lengthy Yiddish ownership inscriptions from 19th century on both sides of leaf [1] (parchment leaf before title page).

References:

This manuscript is documented in Iris Fishof's book, Jüdische Buchmalerei in Hamburg und Altona (Hamburg: Christians, 1999), no. 310 in the catalogue of Yakob Sofer's works (p. 296, with additional references on pp. 301, 309, 329, 342, 346-347).

See further:

1. Iris Fishof, Yakob Sofer mi-Berlin: A Portrait of a Jewish Scribe, Israel Museum Journal 6 (1987), 83-94.

2. Emile G.L. Schrijver, 'Be-ôtiyyôt Amsterdam' Eighteenth-century Hebrew manuscript production in Central Europe: the case of Jacob ben Judah Leib Shamas, Quærendo 20,1 (1990), 24-62.