Unusual Artifacts: Rimmonim, circa 1680

The Victoria & Albert Museum

These attractive rimmonim of silver filigree are hung with six gilt bells with petals from which, also, six bells are suspended. They are surmounted by crown-shaped finials with five branched fleur-de-lys from which more bells are hung.


Rimmonim (literally, “pomegranates”) are the finials that top the most sacred object in the Jewish faith, the Torah scroll, which is wound on rollers called the “Trees of Life. The scroll is kept in a rigid case or covered by a cloth mantle for protection.

The torah is the focal point of the synagogue--kept in the Holy Ark (Aron ha-Kodesh). On Sabbaths, Mondays, Thursdays and holy days the Torah is removed from the ark and read in front of the congregation.

These particular rimmonim probably come from a magnificent Torah mantle that was made for the Sephardic synagogue in Amsterdam in the late Seventeenth Century.

Antique Image of the Day: Hanukkah, 1944

The Victoria & Albert Museum

The image, printed in black, on the front of this postcard depicts four concentration camp inmates behind a makeshift Hanukkah menorah. Within this sober image, the word Hanukkah (in Hebrew) and the year, “1944” are lettered.


This postcard was issued by the Jewish organization Agudat Jiszrael (Union of Israel) in Budapest in 1945. The image was designed by Felix Gluck in 1944. Gluck had fled his native Bavaria for Budapest in 1936 to escape the Nazis, but was imprisoned in Mauthausen--a forced labor camp in Austria, from 1944 to 1945. The card, now, not only chronicles the atrocities that Jewish people faced before and during the Second World War, but also their innate sense of hope and admirable dedication to their beliefs.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Silver Yad, c. 1797

The Victoria & Albert Museum

A “yad” is a pointer used in Jewish worship to motion to or touch the Torah. This silver Yad ends in the shape of a hand—a traditional form for such items. This yad features a cylindrical handle with a fluted band round the middle, and a suspension ring for hanging.


The yad helps the reader to follow the sacred text of the Torah (the scroll containing the Pentateuch--the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). Yads are usually made of silver, and sometimes set with precious stones on the index finger of the pointer. When not in use, the yad is hung over the breastplate that is suspended from the staves of the Torah.

Punch’s Cousin, Chapter 420

Charles was amazed at how quietly Barbara flitted around Ulrika’s room. Despite the fact that the woman was opening every drawer, rummaging through every trunk, and even looking under each piece of furniture, she made no noise whatsoever which might have alerted the others in Edward Cage’s house that they were there.


“Are you going to help me?” Barbara growled softly.

“I wouldn’t know where to start.” Charles whispered. “Besides, I shouldn’t be comfortable going through a lady’s things—even if the lady is Ulrika Rittenhouse.”

Barbara’s eyes widened with anger.

“Tell me where to look.” Charles nodded.

“Stand on that chair and look above the wardrobe, and I’ll…” Barbara hissed. She paused and studied a large crystal shaker of powder on Ulrika’s dressing table.

“What?” Charles asked.

“That’s not the shaker that goes with her toilet set.” Barbara whispered.

“How do you know?”

“I acted as her maid in Marionneaux.” Barbara snarled. “I am familiar with her things.”

“Perhaps this is the one she brings for travel.”

“No.” Barbara shook her head. “Her travel case is enamel and gilding.” She picked up the shaker and studied it closely. “This isn’t even for powder. This is a sugar caster.” A smile crossed Barbara’s lips. “And it’s monogrammed. C.C. It’s Corliss Cage’s. This shaker came from this house.”

Barbara unscrewed the silver cap and started to empty the floral-scented contents onto the floor.

“What are you doing?” Charles rasped.

Suddenly, a dusty object thudded to the floor atop the pile of pink-ish powder. Even the clinging grains of pink could not hide its blue sparkle.

With greedy fingers Barbara picked up the stone and cleaned it by rubbing it against her dress as Charles’ mouth fell open.

“The Fallbridge Blue.” Barbara grinned.

“Your brother refers to it as ‘The Moliner Blue.’”

“My brother also thinks he’s a puppet.” Barbara snapped.

“What do we do now?” Charles asked.

“Now?” Barbara smiled. “Now, Charles, we live…”



Did you miss Chapters 1-419? If so, you can read them here.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: An Eighteenth Century Hanukkah Lamp



The Victoria & Albert Museum


Made in the Netherlands in the Eighteenth Century, this brass Hanukkah lamp features the requisite eight lights. Its back-plate is cast and pierced and surmounted by a Star of David with a Hebrew inscription which reads: “For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah a light.”

This would have served as a menorah at Hanukkah--the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights which celebrates the victory of Judas Maccabeus over the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes.

Happy Hanukkah!

Mastery of Design: The Lang Quartz and Jewels Box, 1770

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This magnificent quartz box for holding sweetmeats is mounted in engraved and chased gold and encrusted with stones carved in the form of a woman, birds, flowers and insects. Made in Augsburg, c. 1770, this is the work of the jeweler Heinrich Gottlob Lang who managed to incorporate a host of gorgeous colored stones into his design. The stones, carved and faceted, include: sapphire, pink tourmaline, white opals, garnets, marcasite, lapis lazuli, bowenite, malachite, turquoise, jasper, agate, and chalcedony.