Parchment Ketubah – Illustrated by R' David Elkaim – Safi, 1913

Parchment ketubah, recording the marriage of the groom Ya'akov son of Yosef Morsiano with the bride Simcha daughter of Nissim Nachmias Ashkenazi (son of Aharon). Safi, Morocco, Elul 1913.
Illustrated and ornamented by the artist and poet Rabbi David (Nissim) Elkaim. Signed in the bottom left corner: "D. Elkaim". For more information, see previous item.
Parting with Moroccan tradition, the wedding took place on Thursday and not on Wednesday. The bride is the daughter of the praiseworthy Nissim Nachmias Ashkenazi son of Aharon, who is "a descendent of the great holy… Rabbi Ya'akov Nachmias Ashkenazi… called by all 'Moulay almay’".
The text of the ketubah is framed by a wide arch supported by four marble Corinthian columns with massive rectangular bases, adorned in gold and silver colors. At the top of the arch is an elaborate crown inscribed Keter Torah. Above the arch are two fabric ribbons inscribed "B'Simana Tava…" encompassed by a rectangular frame with verses from Megillat Ruth.
In the ketubah, the groom promises the bride never to marry another woman during her lifetime without her consent and not to take her to another country without her consent.
Signatures of the witnesses appear on the ketubah margins: “Shalom Asabag” and “Shimon Zrihan” [Rabbi Shimon Zrihan – a Torah authority in Safi].
Next to the signatures, a Tosefet Ketuba (appendix) appears in cursive writing: “After the groom was joyful with his bride on the joyous day of his wedding and she found favor in his eyes… he wanted to add to her…”. With the signatures of the groom and witnesses.
47X61 cm. Good condition. Folding marks. A few stains on the margins. Tears, primarily to margins and folding lines, some with reinforcing paper strips.