Beschreibung:

HEBREW MANUSCRIPT. Esther Scrolls. Two hand-painted Megillot Esther, both written in Ashkenazic square script and hand-painted on vellum in the 20th century. The first with 2 membranes, 474 mm. high, and 11 columns (366 x 120 mm.) of 42 lines Painted in an elegant orientalizing style, illustrations of Queen Esther and the hangings of Haman, Bigtan and Teresh open the scroll. Between each text column hangs one of Haman's sons; musicians celebrate their demise beneath the text column that records their hanging. Floral motifs executed in a pastel palette fill the borders. The second megillah inscribed, possibly in the 19th century, on 3 membranes, 486 mm. high, in 8 columns (416 x 159 mm.) of 43 lines. Tetragram (formed by the initial or final letters of consecutive words) enlarged. A boldly colored, fanciful architectural facade, embellished with gold paint, frames the text panels. Zodiacal signs, beginning with Libra (Tishrei) and ending with Virgo (Elul), displayed within the twisted columns that support the arcade -- Two 19th-century megillot Esther: The first written in black ink on vellum in square Ashkenazic script of the 19th century. 6 membranes, 300 mm. high, in 24 columns (200 x 140 mm.) of 22 lines. Monumental tagin composed of intricate foliate and feather motifs adorn the upper border of this elegant ha-Melekh scroll. The second scroll, probably Ashkenazic 19th century, inscribed in brown ink on vellum. 4 membranes, 342 mm. high, with 15 columns (240 x 135 mm.) of 25 lines. Mounted on wooden roller -- Megillah designed by Gabrielle Rosenthal, printed on paper in Tel Aviv, 1951. Twenty-one colorful, orientalizing illustrations, beginning with Ahasuerus' feast and concluding with the Jews celebrating Purim, are dispersed throughout the scroll, which is contained in its original cylindrical paper case -- Facsimile of the Kaniel Megillat Esther; Graz: Akademische Druck in Verlagsanstalt, 1984. Text volume by Kaniel and Narkiss is lacking. Limited edition of 500, of which this is copy 291. This 18th-century Italian megillah is profusely decorated and illustrated. Its text is framed by a continuous architectural facade carried on rusticated columns; thirty-eight vignettes illustrating the Purim narrative appear within arched frames above and below the text. Mounted on wooden roller -- Illustrated Omer Calendar. Lissa, 1824. Drawn in brown ink on paper by Aaron, son of [illegible], the calendar shows the blessings for counting the Omer in decorative frames flanked by trees and reclining nude youths. Moses and Aaron appear at the bottom. The calendar is enclosed in a wooden box with two revolving handles. (7)