John Smyth & Sons
Synagogue Lamp

MakerIrish, active 1840–c. 1951
CultureIrish
Titles
  • Synagogue Lamp
Date1891
MediumSterling silver and colored stones
Dimensions41 1/2 × 17 5/16 × 16 3/4 in. (105.4 × 44 × 42.5 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Weingarten Schnitzer Family
Object number2023.27
Current Location
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
111 Herzstein Gallery
On view

Explore Further

Object Type
Provenance[The Halpern Judaica Collection: Tradition and Treasure, Part I, Sotheby's, New York, December 15, 2022, Lot 41]; purchased by MFAH, 2023.
Exhibition HistoryNone
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Engraved in Hebrew around the rim: “In eternal memory of the members of our community here in Dublin, may its Rock and Redeemer protect it, for from the year [5]552 [1791], when the synagogue was closed, nothing was done for their souls, and now, after the passage of one hundred years, the members of the community donated money to light the memorial lamp in their memory. May their souls be bound up in the Bond of Life. The eve of Rosh Hashanah [5]652 [1891].”

Engraved on the lobed medallions: the names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel


Marked on side: maker's mark for John Smyth [J.S]; Dublin assay mark [Hibernia]; Irish sterling mark [crowned harp]; date mark for 1891 [V]

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Torah Finials
Unknown Central Asian
Second half of 19th century
Silver, gilding, turquoise and red semi-precious stones
2023.33.A,.B
Torah Crown
Unknown Polish
Late 18th-early 19th century
Silver, silver-gilt and paste stones
2023.30
Claret Jug
George Fox
1880
Sterling silver, gilt, cabochon red stones or glass
94.45
Hanukkah  Lamp
Unknown
1865
Silver and silver-gilt
2023.28
Wedding Belt Buckle
Unknown
mid-19th century
Silver and silver-gilt
2023.38.A,.B
Torah Crown
Unknown Italian
mid 18th century
Silver and silver-gilt
2022.228
Kris Handle
Unknown Indonesian
late 18th–early 19th Century
Gold with inlaid glass and stones
2004.2272
Passover Haggadah According to the Ashkenazic and Sephardic Rites, 2nd edition
Solomon Proops
1712
Book with 31 folios including woodcuts and copperplate engravings in a modern calf, gilt-tooled and blind-tooled binding with modern paper flyleaves and pastedowns, housed in a modern green leather covered slipcase
2023.39
Oil Lamp
Unknown Judaic
400–600 AD
Bronze
2005.351.A-.C
Comb
Unknown Indonesian
18th–19th century
Gold, precious stones, and buffalo horn
2006.534
Overall recto.
Charlotte Major Wylie
c. 1893
Tempera and gesso, with silver and gold leaf, bone, pearl, agate and colored stone inlays, on a circular wood panel, set within an artist-made frame
2023.76
Writing Set
Unknown Ottoman
18th-19th century
Silver
2023.32.A,.B