ANTIQUITIES AND ISLAMIC ART SALE
Lot 174:
Description
This rare and intricately designed circular brass tray is a striking example of early 20th-century Jewish ceremonial art from the Middle East. Crafted in Damascus, Syria, around 1900, the tray is delicately inlaid with silver and copper and richly decorated with biblical iconography and Hebrew inscriptions.
At the center, it features a finely rendered scene of the Judgment of King Solomon, a renowned episode from the Hebrew Bible (1 Kings 3:16–28). The narrative, in which King Solomon adjudicates between two women claiming to be the mother of a child, is symbolically and dramatically depicted in engraved and inlaid metalwork. Solomon is shown enthroned at the top, flanked by attendants, while below, the dramatic moment unfolds as a soldier holds the child, and the two women plead their cases.
Surrounding the central image are Hebrew inscriptions, including quotations from the biblical passage, possibly referencing Solomon’s wisdom. The edge of the tray is adorned with silver-inlaid Stars of David and Hebrew phrases, adding religious and cultural depth.
The reverse of the tray bears an engraved signature:
“EU NIZARD, TUNIS, 1948”,
indicating that this piece was possibly acquired or reworked in Tunis in 1948, likely by a Jewish artisan or collector, linking this artifact to the Jewish diaspora of North Africa.
Diameter: 33cm
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