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Lot Essay
Rabbi Benjamin Artom was Italian by birth. He was born in the Piedmont city of Asti in 1835. He was rabbi in Naples before travelling to England to serve the Jewish community. His obituary in The Times published following his sudden death in 1879 spoke of his quick mastery of the English language which he spoke with 'rare eloquence...his courtly appearance adding much to the charm of his discourses'. Following his funeral at Bevis Mark synagogue over 100 coaches followed the hearse to the burial in Mile End.
As noted by J. P. Fallon (House of Barnard A Notable Family of Manufacturing Silversmiths to the Trade, Sandy, 2012) this model of centrepiece, known in the ledgers as 'Camel & Arab' was an important and popular product of the Barnard workshops. It was believed to have been first produced in the early 1850s and was certainly in production by circa 1854 when an example was photographed as reproduced op. cit., p. 187, fig.163). The weight of silver used for each was 97 oz. and they sold for £64-0s-0d.
As noted by J. P. Fallon (House of Barnard A Notable Family of Manufacturing Silversmiths to the Trade, Sandy, 2012) this model of centrepiece, known in the ledgers as 'Camel & Arab' was an important and popular product of the Barnard workshops. It was believed to have been first produced in the early 1850s and was certainly in production by circa 1854 when an example was photographed as reproduced op. cit., p. 187, fig.163). The weight of silver used for each was 97 oz. and they sold for £64-0s-0d.