Early 20th-Century German Silver Havdalah Spice Tower For Sale

Dating to the early 20th century, this German silver Havdalah spice tower (besamim container) is fashioned in the traditional architectural form that had become one of the most recognizable types of European Jewish ceremonial silver. The vessel rises from a broad circular foot through a slender column to a square spice compartment, surmounted by a tapering spire and a small articulated flag.The circular base is richly decorated in repoussé and chased floral ornament, with scrolling foliage and blossoms standing in relief against a finely textured ground. Similar ornament appears on the sides of the square spice chamber, where symmetrical foliate designs are enclosed within beaded borders. One side is fitted with a hinged door providing access to the interior for inserting the aromatic spices used during the Havdalah ceremony.Of particular Jewish significance, the door is decorated with a prominent Magen David (Star of David) set against a radiating ground. The strong architectural silhouette of the tower is softened by its dense floral decoration, while the tall conical roof and fluttering flag lend the piece the appearance of a miniature turret or ceremonial building.Stylistically, the piece reflects the Historicist tradition that remained influential in German ceremonial silver around the turn of the 20th century. Its architectural construction recalls earlier Central and Eastern European spice towers, while the repoussé floral scrollwork and richly modeled ornament retain elements derived from Baroque and Rococo decorative vocabulary. The combination gives the tower an intentionally traditional appearance despite its comparatively later date.The foot bears an “800” silver standard mark, indicating the Continental silver fineness commonly encountered in German and Central European silver of this period. The darker oxidation retained within the chased and repoussé decoration accentuates the relief and gives the surface considerable visual depth.Used during Havdalah, the ceremony marking the conclusion of the Sabbath, the tower would have held fragrant spices whose aroma is smelled as part of the ritual. Combining a distinctly Jewish symbol with the longstanding European tradition of architectural spice containers, this early 20th-century German example is an attractive piece of Jewish ceremonial silver, distinguished by its sculptural proportions, elaborate floral decoration, hinged spice compartment, and characteristic flag-topped spire.3.58ozt

• Dimensions: Height: 7.29 in (18.5 cm)Width: 2.37 in (6 cm)Depth: 2.37 in (6 cm)
• Materials and Techniques: Silver,Cast,Repoussé
• Place of Origin: Germany
• Period: 1920-1929
• Date of Manufacture: 1920s