Hanukkah Menorah Lamp – Algeria Design, Brass Finish

Modeled after a Hannukah lamp from Algeria, late 19th century or early 20th century. Brass, cast Zeyde Schulmann collection in the Israel Museum. 

The backplate of this Hanukkah lamp is made of a pattern of tendrils shooting out of the central shield and palmette-shaped final. The lamp's shape is based on a 16th century Italian prototype. Hanukkah lamps such as this were brought to North Africa by Jewish immigrants from Italy and influenced the shape of Hanukkah lamps produced there until the 20th century. The original on which this lamp is modeled belongs to the collection of Zeyde Schulmann, who immigrated from Safed to Paris and in the 1960s traveled throughout North Africa, assembling ceremonial objects from various Jewish communities- eventually donating his vast collection to the Israel Museum.