Objects

Hanukkah lamp (hannukiyah)

Hanukkah is joyfully celebrated in Jewish homes and places of worship. In synagogues, Hanukkah lamps are placed by the southern wall of the building. Before lighting the candles, the blessings should be recited: "Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and has enabled us to kindle the Hanukkah lights." and "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time." (http://shaveipolska.shavei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/choveret-PDF-3.pdf, accessed on 23 February 2021).

The presented Hanukkah lamp is supported by four legs in the form of a stylised vine decorated with flowers. The same motif is used for coveriing the sides. The hannukiyah has a rectangular base with a wavy front edge. In the base – almost along its entire length – there is an oval recess. Above it, eight jug-shaped oil burners are placed, connected by a thin movable strip secured in two handles. The three-part backplate has an architectural form, bordered on the sides by half-columns and decorated with a frieze of rosettes at the base. Each part of the backplate – the two outer ones are narrower – is closed with a triangular arch with pinnacles (the middle one is missing). On the left, there is a holder for the shammash (an additional candle used for lighting the others). The outer, narrower fields feature relief decoration in the form of festoons with leaves and flowers. In the central field, the decoration consists of stylised Tablets of the Ten Commandments held by two rearing lions. Above the tablets, there is another festoon with leaves and flowers.

Two signature marks are placed on the base: the goldsmith's monogram "KW" in an oval field and the head of Diana in a cinquefoil – representing the Austro-Hungarian hallmark for a purity mark of 800 with the letter "R" (Koszyce). Additional markings can be found on the strip connecting the oil burners. The first one is behind the bend on the left side, where the goldsmith's monogram "KW" is repeated, and the next one is underneath the strip on the right side, where two reserve hallmarks "VR" are stamped in a rectangular field.

The lamp was purchased in 1995 at an auction house in Wrocław. The seller did not provide any information regarding the origin of the item.

Dariusz Czwojdrak

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Information about the object
Author / creator
unknown
Object type
handicrafts
lighting
Time of creation / dating
1st quarter of the 20th century
Place of creation
Kosice (Slovakia)
Technique
cast
punching
repoussage
punching
Material
silver
Keywords
Copyright status
the object is not protected by copyright law
Owner
Local Museum in Leszno
Identification number
MLI/44