Silver Torah Shield – Italy, Ca. Mid-19th Century

Silver Torah Shield – Italy, Ca. Mid-19th Century
Silver Torah shield. [Italy, ca. mid-19th century].
Silver; repoussé and engraved; brass back.
Crown-form shield, with a Hebrew inscription. Brass-backed for protection.
Crown-form shields, known as demi-crowns, were used in Jewish communities of Italy and the Balkans.
23X13.5 cm. Good condition. Bends. Minor fractures to edges. Ink inscriptions. Lacking most of the original chain.
For an identical shield (apart from inscription), see Sotheby's Catalog, October 2000, item 46.