Torah Shield Maker: Franz Anton Gutwein (ca. 1729-1805) Augsburg, Germany, 1801 Cast, repoussé, parcel-gilt and engraved silver, h. 18 ¼ x w. 10 1/8 x d. 2 3/8 in. Inscription: “Samuel s[on of]…Nathan Arieh HaCohen…Tirzah daughter of…Joshua” B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz, 2015.17.147 The first known [...]
Simchat Torah Flag with Torah Shield Design Mark Podwal (b. Brooklyn, NY 1945) USA, 2017 Acrylic and colored pencil on paper, h. 16 x w. 20 in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift of the artist, ©Mark Podwal, 2018.5.12 Inspired by this Torah breastplate or shield in the Skirball collection, the artist has incorporated it as [...]
Torah Finial (Rimmon) Mark Podwal (b. Brooklyn, NY 1945) USA, 2017 Acrylic and colored pencil on paper, h. 16 x w. 20 in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift of the artist, ©Mark Podwal, 2018.5.11 Inspired by this Torah finial in the Skirball collection, the artist has replaced the knob at the top of an elaborate [...]
Tas (Torah Breastplate) Tas (Torah Breastplate) Andrew Messmer Cincinnati, 1899 Silver and semiprecious stones, h. 10 ½ x w. 6 ¼ in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift of the Society of Talmud, 7.4 The use of a tas, or breastplate, began in the sixteenth century when many synagogues had more than one Torah scroll, and an [...]
Torah Crown (Keter) Cast, repoussé, hammered and engraved silver, h. 7 ½ x w. 5 3/8 in. Mantua, Italy, ca. 1810 Marks: R3 7329 (800/100 standard; in use in Italy 1810-1872), 7391 (Mantua), and SIC1 Gift of Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, 2015.17.359 Torah finials evolved from knobs [...]
Tik (Case) and Torah India, Bombay (Mumbai), late 19th—early 20th century Velvet, wood, silver, and ink-inscribed deerskin, h. 36 x w. 11 1/2 x d. 11 1/4 in. (closed) B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, 2015.17.145 The tik or Torah case originates in design from Sephardic (Spanish and Middle Eastern) communities in areas such as Afghanistan, [...]
Hasid Studying Lazar Krestin (Lithuania 1868–1938 Vienna) Oil on canvas, h. 36 x w. 42 ¾ in. Lithuania, 1909 Cincinnati Skirball Museum; gift of Mrs. Arthur Hays Sulzberger, 41.82 The Jewish people are considered the People of the Book because they were bonded together by the Torah, or Five Books of Moses, throughout their years [...]
Rimmonim (Torah Finials) Andrew Messmer Cincinnati, 1899 Silver and semiprecious stones, h. (each 13 in. Cincinnati Skirball Museum, gift in honor of the eightieth birthday of Isaac Mayer Wise from his students, 47.10a/b The rollers of the Torah staves are decorated with finials called rimmonim, meaning pomegranates, a symbol of fertility. The idea of the [...]
Tik (Torah case) Tik (Torah Case) Iraq, 1916 Chased silver on wood, h. 22 x dia. 10 ½ in. Inscription: The owners of the Sefer Torah may take it to other places or give permission to remove the sefer Torah and place it where they so desire (translation). Cincinnati Skirball Museum, formerly S. Kirschstein collection, [...]
