Plate
Germany, c1800
Brass and other metals; pewter, cast, engraved

One of the most prominent items on the Passover table is the seder plate. Decorative seder plates were crafted from varied materials. In Central Europe, particularly Germany, the pewter plate was common as it was much less expensive than silver (which only by the wealthiest of families could afford). Older pewter plates were usually purchased in the market and then engraved with the appropriate Passover inscriptions and imagery. The center of this example depicts the Four Sons from the haggadah, as well as the pascal lamb at the bottom. The Hebrew inscription around the rim records the words indicating the various ritual actions performed during the seder.



D. 38 cm

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