Spice holder

A silver filigree spice box with a moulded stem widening to a small five sided knop and standing upon an hexagonal base mounted upon five (originally six) cast ball and claw feet. The container is in the form of a three tiered tower with a railed parapet around the bottom. The middle and top tiers of the tower represent the belfry and lantern respectively, and the whole is surmounted by an onion dome and a flagpole flying a small silver 'burgee' emblazoned with an engraved scorpian motif on both sides. At two opposite corners of the lowest tier are small flags , without engraving, mounted on two small silver-filigree balls. On one face of this tier is the small hinged door through which spice was introduced. In the belfry tier immediately above hangs a small gilt belt. Mounted on the angles of the paraphet are six cast gilt figures, three of them playing pipes (or shofarot?) and the other three clad in long robes, buttoned up the front, and wearing circular hats (probably emulating Jewish costume of the day). Each figure appears to have had a pendant, possibly a bell, hanging from the crook of the left arm but all are now missing.

Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest

ex-Hildburgh loan 4482

Jewish Worship
Judaism is the oldest religion in the world to worship the one God.World Jewry has three main groups: Sephardic, Askenazic and Mizrahi (the Jews who never left the Middle East). All are bound together by a common history and their adherence to the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) and the Talmud (a compendium of rabbinic law and lore).

Jewish religious traditions and rituals centre on the home, the community and the synagogue. Central to Judaism is the observance of the Sabbath. This is a holy day, set apart from the rest of the working week. It begins one hour before sunset on Friday and ends on Saturday evening when three stars can be seen in the night sky.

The Jewish year revolves around a number of festivals, such as Passover. These originated in ancient times and embody multiple layers of meaning, from agricultural festivals to historical events.

This spice container was used in Jewish worship, during the Havdalah ceremony that marks the end of the Sabbath, the holy day of rest. The spices are blessed and the box is passed around for all to smell. After the ceremony, the new week starts.

M.434-1956