Pair of Torah finials. Jerusalem, [Persian-Jewish or Bukharan-Jewish community?], [early 20th century].
Silver, cast, repoussé, engraved, and punched.
Tall, pear-shaped Torah finials, in Persian style. Conical head, surmounted by Star of David with the Hebrew word "Zion". Body decorated in vegetal patterns, and with four medallions each with a depiction of one of the four animals mentioned in the Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot), namely the leopard, eagle, deer [or gazelle] and lion, accompanied by Hebrew captions with the corresponding quotes from the text in reference to the respective animals: "Be bold as a leopard," "light as an eagle," "fleeting as a deer," "and mighty as a lion". Body of finial supported on cylindrical shaft with spherical ornament at top. Body and head of finials decorated in repoussé, and engraved with vegetal and geometric patterns. Six chains with bells at their ends. Hebrew dedicatory inscription engraved onto shafts: "[…] dedicated by Rahel daughter of Hannah, Yoheved daughter of Rahel."
Height: 30 cm.
A photo of these finials appears on the cover of Willy Lindwer's book, "From Jerusalem with Love".
Purchased in Jerusalem in 1998.

Pair of Torah finials. Jerusalem, Kurdish-Jewish (Iranian Kurdistani) community, 5680 [1920].
Silver, cast, turned, and engraved.
Pear-shaped Torah finials, in Persian style. Conical head, surmounted by "hamsa" finial. Body decorated with vegetal patterns. Cylindrical shaft with spherical ornament at top. Chains with bells. Hebrew dedicatory inscription engraved onto finial bodies: "These [Torah] finials were made by Hosni, wife of Aharon, [dedicated] to the soul of his son David […] 5680 [1920]," "[Thanks to the] Efforts of Hosni, wife of Aharon, [dedicated] to the soul of his son […] David son of Aharon Kohen […]".
Height: 26 cm. Warping. Missing chains and bells.
Reference: Jews of Kurdistan: Lifestyle, Tradition, and Art, pp. 250-51.

Pair of Torah finials. Jerusalem, Yemenite-Jewish community, [first half of 20th century].
Silver, cast, engraved, and punched.
Pear-shaped Torah finials, in Persian style. Conical head, surmounted by hexagonal ornament. Body decorated with delicate vegetal and geometric patterns, reminiscent of Adeni finials. Cylindrical shaft with spherical ornament at top. Band of silver granules at bottom of shaft, as well as at top, adjacent to spherical ornament. Chains with bells. Hebrew dedicatory inscriptions engraved onto shafts: "To the elevation of the soul [?] of Aharon son of Shalom Nadaf […]".
Height: 25.5 cm. Missing bells.

Two pairs of Torah finials. Israel, [ca. mid-20th century].
Silver, cast; silver thread and granulation.
1. Body decorated with tiny silver spherules, and placed at the center of an ornament in the shape of the calyx of a flower, from which bells are suspended. Possibly made by a silversmith of a Yemenite origin. Height: 14 cm.
2. Finial bodies and shafts decorated with widthwise bands of silver thread. Chains with bells suspended from bodies. Height: 11.5 cm. Warping. Missing ornaments (?). Missing chains and bells.

Torah pointer. Jerusalem, Jewish Community of the Maghreb (Northwest Africa), 5685 [1925].
Silver, cast and engraved.
Upper segment of handle spiraled, surmounted by suspension ring; middle segment hexagonal; bottom segment flat, tapering toward wrist. Clenched hand with long (broken) extended index finger. Cuffed wrist. Identical long Hebrew dedicatory inscriptions inscribed on both sides of handle: "[…] to the Holy Maghreb Community […] donated by […] David Shem Tov […] toward the elevation of the soul of his wife […] Haninah daughter of Rahel / and his daughter, Esther daughter of Haninah, this day the 16th of the Month of Elul, Year 5685 [1925]…".
Length: 30-30.5 cm. Good condition. Tip of hand's finger broken and missing.