probably Izmir, Turkey owing to its sophisticated ornamentation, the scroll surmounted by three graduated flower and design decorated filigree coronets surmounted by an elongated finial topped with a coral bead, below the scroll handwritten in ink on five continuous panels of vellum, removable fine gilt-metal on dark blue ground fabric embroidered case, vellum height is 6 in. and tells the story of Queen Esther and the liberation of the Jews, on which the festival of Purim is based. This was probably a gift from a father to his son-in-law. Sephardic Jews were expelled from Spain and Portugal in 1492 by Ferdinand and Isabella. Many emigrated throughout the Ottoman Empire and were welcomed by the Ottoman sultans, and Islamic design, began influencing the Sephardic Jews' decorative ritual objects, h: 16 in. (from bead on finial to end of handle), length of scroll unrolled is 8 feet.

Parchment height 15cm, overall height 41cm.

Provenance: Sotheby's Tel-Aviv 1996 lot 284