Three Torah pointers. Tunisia, [20th century].
Silver, cast and engraved; copper, cast and engraved.
1. Silver (with Tunisian hallmark). Movable upper joint, attached by hinge. Upper portion of handle cylindrical; lower portion flat, tapering toward wrist. Hand clenched, with long, gently flexed index finger and with cuffed wrist. Engraved vegetal patterns on one side, and engraved Hebrew dedicatory inscription (using abbreviations) on the other: "Sanctified to the Almighty, to the [peaceful] rest of […] Yosef Hai Eljin, may his soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life." Length: 26 cm.
2. [Tafilalt Region]. Upper segment decorated. Upper portion of handle rectangular and lower portion cylindrical. Hand clenched, with long, gently flexed index finger and with cuffed wrist. Hebrew dedicatory inscription (using abbreviations): "Sanctified in honor of the Holy Torah, Rabbi Shimeon Bar Yohai, may his virtue protect us / to the Yeshiva […], gift of Señor David son of Dinon, may the lord protect him and maintain him / and his wife, Señora Rahel…, by the Rabbi, the Emissary… Rabbi Shemuel Ben Hayyim, may the Almighty maintain him and protect him." Length: 24 cm.
3. Upper portion of handle cylindrical and lower portion flat, tapering toward wrist. Hand clenched, with thumb pointing sideways, with long, gently flexed index finger, and with cuffed wrist. Vegetal patterns engraved on wide part of handle, along with dedicatory inscription (Hebrew and French), on both sides. Hebrew: "To the [peaceful] rest of Beiya Touitou, may she rest in Eden, on the Day of the New Month of Elul, Year 5705 [1945], may her soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life." / French: "Beithe Touito Decedee Le 8 Août 1945 à l'Age de 28 Ans" [Beithe Touito, passed away August 1945 at the age of 28]. Above the French dedicatory inscription is a copper plaque bearing the initials of the deceased woman, "BT." Length: 23.5 cm.