sell many fakes. However, after selling this fake for $200 in November:
RUSSIAN SOLID SILVER JEWISH TORAH POINTER HALLMARKED FOR 1786
(Mark Antiques
www.Mark-Antiques.com) (note:
this website
link does not work, and a Google search for Mark Antiques
shows nothing)
The solid silver Torah pointer, is approxamately 11 inches long and is decorated with an inset turquoise stone surrounded by a silver collar. At the top of the piece is a winged eagle looking to his left which has a ring mounted on it's [sic] back. The bird sits on a globe after which the main stem extends downwards towards another globe-like pretrusion [sic]. On this part of the stem is the double headed eagle of Catherine II, the Great (reigned 1762 - 1796). Although not Jewish herself, being a German Lutheran, she tolerated and welcomed many religions.
At the side of
the main stem are the Russian hallmarks that bear the 84 silver mark
for Moskow and the Assay mark of Aleksei Kosiurev and the date of 1786.
(typical fake hallmarks) This
Assayer operated in Moskow between 1762 and 1791.
Below the
double-headed eagle crest is the six-pointed star of King David - then
comed the .5 inch x .25 inch turquoise stone. After the other
onion-like pretrusion the Torah starts to taper towards the cuffed
right hand with ringed index finger outstretched, that acts as the
pointer. A silver wire is wrapped around the lower part of the Torah
pointer (typical construction of
a fake Torah yad).
Looking at the item in a subjective way, rather than a sentimental one, the workmanship is superb in every way. Looking through a very powerful magnifyer [sic] (50x) you can see every finger nail and minute details of the ring on the finger. It bears a very tiny inscription, and the carving is wonderful.
It has been
sugested [sic] by an
ebayer that this could be a later pointer of the early 19th century,
rather than the 18th century and the Catherine the Great hallmark of
1786 has somehow been applied later (No, it is not of the "early 19th
century." It is not of the 18th century. IT WAS MADE
YESTERDAY!). We are of the opinion that everything
is correct, however we are no experts on either Russian silver or
Jewish artifacts. What is certain is that it is solid silver set with a
turquoise stone (Essentially,
he admits that he has no idea what he is talking about; and what is
certain is that this is silver junk with a piece of
turquoise. Good luck, since downsizingsale
does not accept
returns.).
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