JUDAICA from page 31

JOAN VAS B U . . . FITIGUES

cally beautiful, Weiss explains. Russian
lectibles, forgeries exist and are diffi-
cups from the second half of the
cult, if not impossible, for novices to
1800s to the early 1900s often dis-
detect, particularly since differentiat-
played incised shtetl scenes of the for-
ing a real versus fake Polish silver spice
mer Jewish towns of eastern Europe.
tower, for example, requires knowl-
Spice towers, known as besamin boxes,
edge not just of silver but Judaica,
which were origi-
according to
nally made between
Weinstein's book.
mid-19th and early
Several guide-
20th centuries, fea-
lines can help.
tured flowers, ani-
Jews generally
mals and humans if - 7,3
avoided putting
from Poland and
biblical images on
bells and pennants
ceremonial objects,
when from Vienna
except their mar-
or Prague.
riage contracts
Nineteenth century
(ketubahs). How a
menorot from Iraq
piece was assem-
contained stylized
bled technically,
birds, crescent
either with screws
moons and stars,
or welding, and its
typical of Islamic
overall look offer
culture, Berman
clues. "Look for
says.
harmony in the
What to look
whole, that it was
for: Finding objects
made by one
made before 1700
hand," Weiss says.
is difficult because
Breakages and
This Hannukiah dates back as far as
many were used
signs of wear will
17th-century Iraq.
rather than kept as
diminish but not
pieces of art and
destroy the value
because Jews wee dispersed, leaving
of an authentic piece, Feldman says.
objects behind, Weiss said.
"The more perfect, the more valu-
The most valuable are beautiful rare
able," adds Weiss.
examples made for Jewish use or
Forecast: The market for Judaica
adapted shortly after they were crafted
has fluctuated, rising in the late 1980s
through the addition of Hebrew
in tandem with that for other secular
inscriptions or other Jewish motifs.
artworks, then falling in the early
The Skirball has a Torah case from a
1990s. Now the interest had been
community in China, one of only two
rekindled -with certain objects generat-
left in the world, with the other in
ing greater popularity in part because
Toronto, Grossman explains.
of the Jewish Baby Boomer's quest for
Provenance can often be proved by
spirituality, Grossman says.
markings that indicate the content
To learn more: Museums with the
(typically silver), where and when they
best Judaica collections include the
were made and sometimes the maker.
Spertus Museum of Judaica in Chicago;
Exceptions abound, however.
the Jewish Museum and Yeshiva
4 , Markings may have been rubbed off
University museums in New York; the
over time, become illegible or were
Skirball Museum in Los Angeles; B'nai
never added, Weiss says.
B'rith Klutznick in Washington, D.C.;
To start a good Judaica collection,
the National Museum of American
Feldman advises that beginners look
Jewish History in Philadelphia; Juda
to their own family's traditions, unless
Magnus Memorial Museum in
one type — prayer shawls, mezuzot or
Berkeley, Calif.; and the Mizel Musuem
ceremonial cups — appeals more than
in Denver, Colo.
another. "If you remember your
In addition to Berman's and
grandparents drinking wine from
Grossman's books, read The
small silver Russian cups or lighting a
Encyclopedia of latfish Symbols by Ellen
brass menorah with lions, then that's
Frankel and Betsy Teutsch (Aronson,
what you should buy," he says.
$35). Catalogues of museum exhibits
What to avoid: As with other col-
are good sources: 0

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The Specialty

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BELFORD • AND MUCH NADRE

Orchard Lake Road North of Maple,
West Bloomfield

11/28
1997

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