Finely engraved throughout with elaborate fruit, foliate and shell forms; central Decalogue flanked by Moses and Aaron, with interchangeable plaque. Master: Carl Daniel Bauer, marked. 7.5 x 6.5 inches.

UNIQUE ESTONIAN SILVER TORAH SHIELD.

This rare Torah Shield is fully hallmarked with the initials of the master Carl Daniel Bauer, from the city of Reval, 1798-1815 and with the “83” standard and city mark. The shield is also dated in Hebrew 1823. Reval, present day Tallinn - capital of Estonia and formerly part of Russia - had just a bare handful of Jews living there at the time this Torah Shield was produced. Very few items of Judaica emanate from Estonia. See Annelore Leistikow, Baltisches Silber, (Luneberg 1996) p. 281.