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Lot 13
An early 20th century Palestinian olive wood scroll holder, by Bezalel, first half of 20th century, (3)
29 February 2012, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£1,200 - £1,500
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An early 20th century Palestinian olive wood scroll holder,
by Bezalel, first half of 20th century,
the main barrel painted with an arched window depicting a man seated on a high throne with a young man kneeling at his feet, flanked by two bands of scroll work and Hebrew inscriptions, the upper and lower bands carved with roundels, together with two small silver plated Hannukah lamps, the first unmarked and probably by Bezalel, the back plate depicting a large menorah flanked by two elderly men and their attendants, with a Hebrew inscription above, the front section applied with eight capitals made from spent cartridges, and applied with two servant lights, raised on four claw feet, the other with a die-stamped back plate surmounted with a crown and flanked with pillars, the centre section depicting various symbols, all in ornate scroll motifs, the side with servant light, height 16.5cm. (3)
the main barrel painted with an arched window depicting a man seated on a high throne with a young man kneeling at his feet, flanked by two bands of scroll work and Hebrew inscriptions, the upper and lower bands carved with roundels, together with two small silver plated Hannukah lamps, the first unmarked and probably by Bezalel, the back plate depicting a large menorah flanked by two elderly men and their attendants, with a Hebrew inscription above, the front section applied with eight capitals made from spent cartridges, and applied with two servant lights, raised on four claw feet, the other with a die-stamped back plate surmounted with a crown and flanked with pillars, the centre section depicting various symbols, all in ornate scroll motifs, the side with servant light, height 16.5cm. (3)
Footnotes
The Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts was founded in Jerusalem, in 1906, by Boris Schatz, a former sculptor to Prince Ferdinard of Bulgaria. In 1903, Schatz met Theodore Herzl, the founder of the Zionist movement, and proposed establishing a Jewish art school. Schatz moved, in 1906, to Palestine to set it up, taking the name Bezalel from the craftsman who built the Tabernacle for Moses whilst the Israelites were in the desert.
The First World War severed the school from its managing board, which was based in Berlin. Early commercial success began to flag and Schatz was forced to take a travelling exhibition to the US to raise funds. He died there in 1932, the board in Berlin re-opened in 1935 under Josef Budko and the school in Palestine continued.