A TURKISH SILVER SPICE CONTAINER / TORAH FINIAL.

Turkish, 19th century. Seemingly a converted Torah finial. Pierced top and cone finial. Body chased with arcaded and fluted floral panels. Plain stem surmounted by fanned leaf motif; circular base engraved in Hebrew and dedicated to: “The Charity Collectors of the Holy Fund, Rabbi Yitzhak Russo, Rabbi Menahem Adoni, Rabbi Yosef Pinto and Rabbi Moshe Razone. 1874.” Marks: Non-Western on stem and base. Height: 14 inches (35.8 cm). Grimwade no. 187 (44). For other Torah finials of Ottoman origin see, Israel Museum Catalogue, Sephardi Jews of the Ottoman Empire (1990) pp. 55-6. In his comprehensive study “Sheluchei Eretz Yisrael” Abraham Yaari records (p. 677) an emissary from Safed named Chaim Yoseph Pinto who spent time in Izmir, Turkey.