Page 373 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

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The previously illustrated item is a “Megillah”, a scroll of Esther used dor the Jewish religious festival of Purim.
The scroll case is hexagonal in form and is decorated in alternating prunus and bamboo motifs executed in
exquisite blue and green champlevé enamel work against a matted ground topped by a matching dome with
berry finial. The handle is fashioned as a bamboo stem; the inner scroll is of parchment and hand written. The
overall length is 22cm and it sold at auction for $36,000.!
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It is reasonable to deduce that this megillah was made as a commissioned piece for a Sephardi or Mizrachi
Jewish client, probably from Baghdad or Calcutta, or it was made for an affluent Jewish family actually living or
trading in China, of which there were quite a few. In the mid 19th century we have the Sassoons, Khadoories,
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Hardoons, Dangoors and other affluent Jewish merchant families living or trading in Hong Kong or China.!
So here we have an item of 19th century Judaica that has a very specific ritual usage yet takes a pure Chinese
form and was made in Canton and in fact, the use of Chinese motifs and cloissoné is both highly relevant and
appropriate, albeit the main blue enamel colour used is traditionally Persian, representing lapis lazuli and the
celestial sphere. Persian influences in Chinese silver making are the bedrock of the art of silversmithing in
China since the Sung Dynasty and Tang silver was predominantly more Persian looking than what we might
regard as Chinese.!

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