Esther Scroll [Italy: 16th-17th century]

1 scroll (8 x270 in.; 203 x 6858 mm). Written in brown ink on 10 parchment membranes sewn together with sinew, in a monumental Sephardic square Hebrew script with tagin; 30 columns; 13 lines per column; blind ruled; an additional blank membrane appended at the end; mounted on a wooden roller (height: 9 1/4 in; 235 mm). Opening membrane defective with first column, part of second and a few letters of third, perished. First membrane tenuously attached. Losses at lower margin, especially at beginning, though not affecting text; stained and soiled; ink flaking.

The monumental script of this early Italian Esther Scroll has been embellished by the scribe through the addition of flourishes to certain letters. These include specific instances of the letter ayin to which he has added an extravagant tail, when it appears in the bottom line of a column. These striking scribal gestures, as well as the extravagance shown by the overlarge script and bountiful use of ten membranes of high quality parchment, indicate a desire on the part of the scribe to create a truly impressive megillah. The early Italian scribal practice of drawing the letter lamed without any additional embellishment at all may still be seen on a few isolated lameds, though a later hand has amended most of these by the addition of a “flag” at the top of the riser.