Auction 61 - Rare and Important Items
Ceramic Tiles with Blessings in Hebrew - For Protection and Safeguard of the House and its Inhabitants - From the Mellah (Jewish Quarter) of Fes, Morocco, 19th Century
Opening: $2,500
Sold for: $4,000
Including buyer's premium
Six ceramic tiles with inscriptions in Hebrew, from the Mellah (Jewish Quarter) of Fes. [Fes, Morocco, 1884 or 1874].
Clay tiles, painted and glazed.
Set of six tiles for suspension in two rows (one above the other) on the outer wall of the house, with the blessing "Baruch Ata Bevo’acha Baruch Ata Betzetcha" (You shall be blessed when you come, and you shall be blessed when you depart), names and verses for protection of the house and its people.
On each of the six tiles appear three words (in Hebrew) in three lines, that create - when tiles are arranged in two rows - three lines of a text: a line with the names of G-d, a line with the blessing of the house and a line with the writing "sof adam lamut" ("The end of man is to die"; upper row), and the name of the patriarchs with the year in which the tiles were created (lower row). The gematria value of the patriarchs' names as they appear on the tiles indicates that the tiles were created in 1884 (or in 1874, depending on the spelling of Yitzchak).
In addition to the text, the tiles are decorated in blue and pale blue colors, with pointed arches and vegetal patterns covering the entire surface.
"Fes was the most important center for clay vessels in Morocco. Most items were for daily use, in particular kitchen utensils. However, apart for these, large quantities of tiles were produced in Fes and were used as an architectural decoration. Most items were decorated with paint and then glazed… In the years 1853-1881 blue was the dominating color..." (Hebrew). (Pottery from Morocco 19th-20th century C.E, by Rachel Hasson. Published by the Museum for Islamic Art, Jerusalem, 1982, p.4).
According to the owner, these tiles were set in one of the walls of the Mellah in the town of Fes.
Only a small number of Moroccan clay items with an inscription in Hebrew is known.
Size of each tile: approx.10X8 cm. Fair condition. Breaks and lacking pieces. Defects to decorations, to glaze, to paint and to text.
Clay tiles, painted and glazed.
Set of six tiles for suspension in two rows (one above the other) on the outer wall of the house, with the blessing "Baruch Ata Bevo’acha Baruch Ata Betzetcha" (You shall be blessed when you come, and you shall be blessed when you depart), names and verses for protection of the house and its people.
On each of the six tiles appear three words (in Hebrew) in three lines, that create - when tiles are arranged in two rows - three lines of a text: a line with the names of G-d, a line with the blessing of the house and a line with the writing "sof adam lamut" ("The end of man is to die"; upper row), and the name of the patriarchs with the year in which the tiles were created (lower row). The gematria value of the patriarchs' names as they appear on the tiles indicates that the tiles were created in 1884 (or in 1874, depending on the spelling of Yitzchak).
In addition to the text, the tiles are decorated in blue and pale blue colors, with pointed arches and vegetal patterns covering the entire surface.
"Fes was the most important center for clay vessels in Morocco. Most items were for daily use, in particular kitchen utensils. However, apart for these, large quantities of tiles were produced in Fes and were used as an architectural decoration. Most items were decorated with paint and then glazed… In the years 1853-1881 blue was the dominating color..." (Hebrew). (Pottery from Morocco 19th-20th century C.E, by Rachel Hasson. Published by the Museum for Islamic Art, Jerusalem, 1982, p.4).
According to the owner, these tiles were set in one of the walls of the Mellah in the town of Fes.
Only a small number of Moroccan clay items with an inscription in Hebrew is known.
Size of each tile: approx.10X8 cm. Fair condition. Breaks and lacking pieces. Defects to decorations, to glaze, to paint and to text.