Rare Museum Quality Antique Warsaw Russian Empire Silver Torah Pointer (Yad) With Integrated Besamim Spice Box

Details

Description

This exceptional and rare 19th-century Judaica artifact is a multifunctional Torah pointer (Yad) combined with a Havdalah Besamim spice holder. … Read more This exceptional and rare 19th-century Judaica artifact is a multifunctional Torah pointer (Yad) combined with a Havdalah Besamim spice holder. Crafted in solid silver, it measures just over 12 inches (31 cm) in length and weighs 3.3 ounces (93.5 grams). The slender shaft tapers to a finely detailed pointing hand at one end, complete with an ornate cuff, allowing the reader to follow the Torah text without touching the parchment.

The opposite end features a hinged rectangular compartment that opens to serve as a Besamim spice box, with a perforated lid releasing aromatic scents during the Havdalah ceremony. The lid is crowned by a finely cast finial depicting two rampant lions flanking the Tablets of the Ten Commandments—an iconic Jewish symbol representing the Lion of Judah and divine law. A small suspension hole at the top indicates it was designed to hang from a chain attached to the Torah scroll when not in use.

Midway along the shaft, an oval cabochon gemstone in a soft turquoise/teal color (likely turquoise or similar) is set within a twisted rope border, flanked by engraved Hebrew letters Alef (א) above and Lamed (ל) below—together spelling "El," one of the biblical names for God.

The piece showcases masterful silver work, floral motifs, and raised decorative elements throughout, reflecting the high craftsmanship of Warsaw's Jewish silversmiths during the Russian Imperial era.

Hallmarks on the shaft include:
"84" (84 zolotniki silver purity, equivalent to 875/1000 fineness)

"OC 1878" (assayer Josef Sosnkowski with date)

Oval lozenge with Warsaw city mark (horse head)

Square mark with single-headed eagle (likely a Polish emblem or levy mark under Russian administration)

Item Specifics:
Origin: Warsaw, Russian Empire (Congress Poland / modern-day Poland), 1878. Produced in the renowned Warsaw silver workshops, a major center for Jewish ritual silver within the Pale of Settlement under Tsarist rule.
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Age: Precisely dated 1878 (hallmarked "OC 1878" by Warsaw assayer Josef Sosnkowski). Late Imperial Russian period, during the reign of Tsar Alexander II, before the 1899 hallmark reform.

Material: Solid silver, 84 zolotniki (875/1000 purity, comparable to sterling silver). Accented with a turquoise/teal cabochon gemstone and intricate cast/filigree details. No gilding or additional precious stones noted.

Item dimensions: 12.5" tall × 1.75" largest diameter
Weight of item: 3.3 oz See less