Fez, Morocco, c1930

Silver, pierced, chased, engraved
H 33 cm, W 22 cm

This Hanukkah menorah is crafted with beautiful pierced work; other similar lamps (probably made by the same workshop) have different back plate designs and have bird images on top rather than the hamsah in this example. Additionally, the overall patterns in this example are unusual, reflecting characteristic Moroccan / Andalusian architectural motifs, particularly common in mosque decoration. The pattern of the back plate is found in buildings both in wood, carved plaster and carved marble.

The workmanship and finish indicate that the lamp was made in Fez, where there was at least one workshop that specialized in this cut-out technique and design. Other objects made in this technique in Fez are mezuzah covers, tallit containers, amulets, Sabbath lamps and memorial lamps. Most of the objects in this style appear to have been created during the period from the 1920s-1940s.

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