Three Torah pointers. Yemen, [first half of 20th century].
Brass, cast, punched, and engraved; copper, cast, punched, and engraved; silver bell.
Three long, thin Torah pointers, with pointed apexes.
1. Top of handle fan-shaped. Engraved with two Hebrew biblical verses. Length: 31 cm.
2. Handle surmounted by suspension ring with silver bell attached. Engraved with Hebrew biblical verses (Psalms 19:8-9, Deuteronomy 33:10, Psalms 19:10); and with the Hebrew dedicatory inscription: "Meshulam son of / […] Rabbi / Zekhariah […]". Length: 26.5 cm.
3. Copper Torah pointer. Engraved with Hebrew biblical verses (Deuteronomy 33:4; 4:44, Psalms 19:8); and with the Hebrew dedicatory inscription: "[…] property of Avraham Gahash". Length: 29 cm.

Two Sabbath oil lamps ("mesrejeh"). Yemen, [19th century or earlier].
Soapstone (steatite), chiseled; iron handles.
Two star-shaped oil lamps, one ten-pointed, the other eight-pointed (in some parts of Yemen, lamps such as these also served as Hanukkah lamps). Both lamps include a metal handle, screwed into a knob at the center of the oil pan, for carrying and suspension.
Diameter: 22 cm; 25.5 cm. Good condition. Minor fractures.
Reference: The Yemenites, Two Thousand Years of Jewish Culture, pp. 172-73.

Elegant women's "labbeh" necklace, used as bridal jewelry or for festive events. Sana'a, Yemen, [first half of 20th century].
Silver, gilt and filigree; glass.
The labbeh necklace represented the quintessential masterwork of the Jewish silversmiths of Sana'a; it was one of the distinctive trademarks of Sana'a's Jewish women. This piece of jewelry was presented to the bride as a gift either by her father or her bridegroom in time for her wedding, and was worn on the chin on the wedding day, during celebrations associated with childbirth, and at other festive events. Owing to its distinctive form – tiny, three-dimensional filigree links that create something resembling a net – the necklace is also sometimes referred to as a "labbeh shabk," that is, a net-like labbeh.
The long pendants consist of very small links in the shape of flowers, droplets, diamonds, spheres, and a crescent. In addition, there are short pendants of a type known as "awl" ("child"), that give the labbeh an additional name – "labbeh mi'wla " (i.e., "multiple children") – a term suggestive of the true purpose of marriage, namely the fulfillment of the mitzvah of procreation. Most of the tiny pendants are inlaid with minute glass beads. At the edge of the necklace, next to the clasp, are two large links in the shape of elongated hearts.
42X16 cm.
References: The Yemenites, Two Thousand Years of Jewish Culture, pp. 128-29; Ma'ase Rokem, pp. 89-102; the Hebrew-language website of the Association for Society and Culture, Documentation and Research of Yemenite Jews: teman.org.il.

Ornate "Ma'anakeh" (or Ma'nage) women's necklace. Sana'a, Yemen, [early 20th century].
Silver, filigree and granulation; cotton thread; gemstone.
Reserved for festive occasions, this necklace was one of the distinctive trademarks of Sana'a's Jewish women. It was worn by both adult women and young women, and in particular, by new mothers at the various ceremonies associated with childbirth. It would typically represent one of the wedding presents purchased by the father of the bride with the dowry money gifted by the bridegroom or his family. Its massive weight was meant to serve as evidence of the wearer's socioeconomic status.
The strings of beads, twisted at their centers, are composed of tiny round or octagonal ("mathmanat") beads, some made from silver granules (i.e., granulation) reminiscent of the drupelets of the mulberries that grow in Yemen and symbolize fecundity and a sweet life. At the base of the triangles at the ends ("tata'arif") are thirteen holes for beaded chains, but only ten chains remain.
A large silver ring is tied onto to the clasp (a cotton strand). This ring, inlaid with a large red gemstone, is also decorated in filigree and granulation.
Approx. 17X17 cm. Missing chains.
References: In All Their Finery: Jewels from the Jewish World, item no. 11; Ma'ase Rokem, p. 34; the Hebrew-language website of the Association for Society and Culture, Documentation and Research of Yemenite Jews: teman.org.il.

Three bracelets, and amulet case with original amulet. Yemen, [first half of 20th century].
Silver, filigree and granulation; turquoise stones.
1-2. Two "shumaylat" bracelets. Sana'a. Two delicate festive bracelets of a type worn by Jewish women in Sana'a and other large cities at weddings and other festive events. Convex plaques in delicate vegetal patterns executed in filigree and granulation, soldered onto a silver surface. Elegant clasp, inlaid with turquoise stones. Slight differences between the two bracelets. One bracelet gilt. 8.5X2.5 cm; 8X3 cm. Reference: The Yemenites, Two Thousand Years of Jewish Culture, pp. 140-41.
3. Bracelet decorated in filigree and granulation, with diamond-shaped plaques. 8X2 cm.
4. Cylindrical amulet case, decorated in silver thread and granulation. Dangling from the bottom by five suspension rings are fifteen long chains, divided into groups of three. Housed inside case is original amulet, aimed at gaining favor and mercy, and attaining kindness, love, friendship, and peace between a woman and her husband. 10X10 cm.
Reference: Ma'ase Rokem, p. 63.