Torah pointer, with a plaque bearing a dedicatory inscription. Shanghai, China, [first decades of the 20th century].
Silver (marked), cast, lathed, and engraved (pointer with maker’s mark of Zee Sung, who was active in Shanghai in the first half of the 20th century; dedicatory inscription marked with Chinese mark).
Long, slender Torah pointer, gently tapering toward end point. Most of the length of the shaft is encircled by pairs of incised bands reminiscent of the bands on a bamboo reed; such a decorative pattern also appears on the handles of Esther scroll cases from China. Suspended from the loop at the handle end of the pointer is a plaque, shaped like a shield, with a pattern of branches and leaves, and with an engraved inscription in the middle: "For the eternal rest of … Yosef Rahamim Eliyahu, may he find rest in Eden". In all likelihood, this Torah pointer was used by members of one of the Iraqi-Jewish communities of the Far East – either China, India, or Burma.

Length of pointer: 30.5 cm. Dedicatory plaque: 5X6 cm. Good condition.

Reference: Haggadah de Pessah, En hommage aux Juifs d'Inde. Lod, 2010, pp. 82-83.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 052.001.117.
This pair of Torah finials is documented on the Center for Jewish Art (CJA) website, item no. 37277.

Kindling goblet or memorial lamp for the synagogue (known locally as "kas or "kas di-se’il"). Morocco, [ca. 1900].
Brass, cast, engraved, and chased; painted glass.
Large memorial lamp dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira, also known as the "Abir Yaakov" – one of the patriarchs of the renowned Abuhatzeira rabbinic dynasty, and among the greatest of Moroccan Jewish spiritual leaders. Suspended from an ornament in the form of a "hamsa", with the thumb pointing sideways, bearing vegetal and geometric decorative patterns alongside the following inscription: "To the transcendence of the soul of the great rabbi of the boldest / and greatest of the holy righteous / … the divine kabbalist / the Great Light, our honored teacher, Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira, his memory till life in the World to Come, may his virtue protect us, Amen, may it be Thy will, Amen". The glass oil pitcher (added later) is decorated (painted) and is suspended from five chains.
Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira, commonly referred to as the "Abir Yaakov" (1806-1880), gained recognition at an early age as being a prodigy, a genius, a holy man and kabbalist. As Chief Rabbi and Head of the Rabbinical Court of the Tafilalt region of Morocco (home to the main Jewish community of the Ziz River Valley of southern Morocco), he was regarded as the greatest of halakhic adjudicators of his generation, and through his halakhic responsa, he maintained contacts and exerted influence over the greatest of rabbis of North Africa. He was the subject of numerous miraculous tales; for instance, it has been told that he bore witness to a revelation of the Prophet Elijah. The "Abir Yaakov" was also highly regarded by Muslim Moroccans, who reverently referred to him as "Al-Hazan al-Kabir" – "The Great Rabbi". Yaakov Abuhatzeira passed away en route to the Land of Israel, and was interred in the city of Damanhour, Egypt. Dozens of "piyutim" (liturgical poems) – some of them popular among Jews of Moroccan origin till this day – were composed in his honor and in his memory. The famous portrait of him, seated cross-legged with a holy book in his hands, appeared on walls of Jewish homes all over Morocco, and it continues to do so today in numerous homes of Israelis of Moroccan origin. His sons and grandsons were similarly renowned for their saintliness and erudition; the most famous of them were Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira (the so-called "Baba Sali") and his brother Rabbi Yitzhak (the so-called "Baba Haki"); Rabbi Meir ("Baba Meir"); and dozens of other well-known rabbinical figures belonging to the Abuhatzeira clan.

Height (including glass oil pitcher): approx. 84 cm. Diameter of glass oil pitcher: 21.5 cm. Overall good condition.

Exhibitions:
1. Jewish Life in Morocco, edited by Aviva Müller-Lancet. Jerusalem, the Israel Museum, 1983, pp. 40-45 (Hebrew).
2. Great Jewish Treasures, by Moshe Bamberger. New York, 2015, pp. 56-57.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 118.002.005.

Amulet case. [Venice, Italy, 18th century].
Silver, repoussé and engraved (unmarked).
Two-sided amulet case, adorned with rocailles and Rococo-style vegetal patterns and other motifs.
The crown-like ornament near the top is surmounted by a clover-shaped suspension ring. At the bottom is a cluster of grapes, symbolizing fertility and abundance. A heart-shaped cartouche inscribed with God’s name ("Shaddai") appears on both sides. Next to this are various ornaments, including, on one side, to the right, a priestly head covering also bearing the Godly name "Shaddai", and to the left, the Two Tablets of the Law inscribed with the abbreviated Ten Commandments; and on the other side, the seven-branched Menorah to the right and an incense burner to the left.
Cases of this sort were used for keeping amulets, folded up and housed in the inner chamber. Some amulets were written with a particular individual in mind, whereas others were intended for a specific purpose. Such amulets would typically be exchanged when the case changed hands. Over time, the cases themselves began serving as amulets.

Height: 12.5 cm. Width: 9 cm. Overall good condition.

Reference: La menorà: culto, storia e mito, edited by Alessandra Di Castro, Francesco Leone, Arnold Nesselrath. Milano, Skira, 2017, p. 124.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 027.001.238.
This amulet case is documented on the Center for Jewish Art (CJA) website, item no. 36169.

Exceptionally large, decorated jewelry box. Damascus, Syria, 5665 [1905].

Cast brass, inlaid with copper and silver (Damascening); silver inlaid with gold; chased; rivets; cedar wood.

Exceptionally large, weighty ornate jewelry box, inscribed with greetings in Hebrew and Arabic. A high-quality example, inscribed with a date, of specifically Jewish Damascene craftsmanship involving metal inlay. May have been presented as an engagement or wedding gift.

Massively heavy rectangular box made of cedar wood dressed with thick sheets of brass, inlaid with silver and copper; with a heavy lid, connected by rotating hinges; supported on four tall, fancy, angular legs, positioned at the four corners of the base.

Richly decorated using a variety of techniques and patterns; the brass sections not inlaid with silver or copper are densely adorned with chased vegetal patterns. At the center of the front surface is an inlaid oval-shaped silver medallion with an Arabic inscription, flanked by round silver medallions with arabesques, all encircled by additional silver ornaments with vegetal patterns. Inlaid at the center of the surface of either side are round silver medallions with Arabic inscriptions. The rear surface, like the front, has an inlaid oval-shaped silver medallion with an Arabic inscription, but is flanked by a pair of large arabesques, and no round medallions. Inlaid at the opposite ends of the surface of the lid are a pair of round silver medallions bearing Arabic inscriptions, each surrounded by four silver corner ornaments, each with a segment of the following Hebrew inscriptions: "Ben Porat / Yosef / [Hebrew] Year / 5665 [1905]" and "Ben Porat / … / ‘Esek Yisrael BeDamesek’ [Jewish Business in Damascus (?)]". The Arabic inscriptions include brief aphorisms and words of wisdom and faith, such as "All is from God", "The Lord will protect", "One who is satisfied with his lot is as [one who] owns a treasure", "Nothing is forever", etc. All inscriptions – as well as some of the ornaments – are inlaid with gold.

Height: 16 cm. Length: 10.5 cm. Width: 22.5 cm. Overall good condition

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 103.002.001.

This jewelry box is documented on the Center for Jewish Art (CJA) website, item no. 37600.