Art Deco Sculptural Bronze Menorahs, Pair
Traditional Judaica item
Circa 1930’s, Israel
Beautifully handcrafted of cast bronze sections and hand assembled.
Gorgeous, dark bronze patina, very high quality, nice weight.
Stately size, rare to find a pair.
Possibly a custom commission for a Temple / Synagogue.
The menorah (Hebrew:
מנורה), is a seven branched candelabrum
lit
by
olive oil
in the Tabernacle
and the Temple in Jerusalem.
The menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the
Jewish
people.
It is said to symbolize the
burning bush
as seen by Moses
on
Mount Sinai
(Exodus 25).
Dimensions: 20 ½” high, without candles.
23 ¾” wide. Base 8 ” diameter. Candle cups 3” diameter.
Unsigned, These menorahs are likely a early design of Maurice Ascalon
(formerly known as Moshe Klein). ( 1913-2003) See bio below...
Condition: In very good vintage condition, as found, rich patina intact.
It appears that one has had more use (with candles) than the other,
with the candle cups showing more of the original bronze color,
most likely from cleaning.
Item #
DACAN16 : Price $ 6,500. for the pair
About Maurice Ascalon...
In the mid-1930's, Maurice
founded the company Klein-Komm,
which created a variety of decorative craft items in wood and metal.
Most of the Klein-Komm items incorporated labor intensive
hand-hammered metalwork,
and were thus produced in relatively small numbers.
In 1939, Maurice
designed and created the 14 foot tall hammered copper relief
sculpture of three figures, "The Toiler of the Soil, the Laborer and
the Scholar",
which adorned the façade of the Jewish Palestine Pavilion
of the 1939 New York World's Fair. Ascalon was commissioned to
create this work by the noted Israeli architect, Arie El-Hanani, who
designed the historically significant Pavilion which introduced the
world to the concept of a modern Jewish state.
In 1939 in Tel-Aviv, Israel, he founded Pal-Bell Co. Ltd., with the
mission of creating tasteful decorative and functional metalwork and
Judaica of the highest quality.
Maurice Ascalon, who received formal artistic training in Brussels
and Milan,
was also Pal-Bell's chief designer.
Maurice Ascalon’s commissions include
permanent installations at synagogues and public spaces throughout
the United States and Mexico. His works have been exhibited at and
are among the collections of institutions including the Jewish
Museum in New York, the Museum of American Jewish History in
Philadelphia, the Spertus Museum in Chicago, and the University of
Judaism in Los Angeles, where Ascalon taught.
