18th Century Polish Brass Hanukkah Lamp

The backplate is cast and pierced with a central two-handled vase of flowers, flanked by fully formed birds with their heads turned outward. The side panels fitted with two servant lights, fronted by a row of eight oil fonts. Scholars theorize that these Polish Chanukah Lamps that bear two servant lights (as opposed to the singular servant light normally found on a Chanukah Lamp), served a purpose, having been used on one of the days that Chanukah fell on the Sabbath, as Sabbath Candlesticks. For another example, see page 296 of the book “Five Centuries of Hanukkah Lamps from The Jewish Museum: A Catalogue Raisonné”. This lamp was made by the technique known as "sand casting". This process begins with a wooden mold that was carved out to create negative space, which in turn is used to make the inverse form or shape to be used for the casting of metal. The mold is pressed into fine sand mixed with clay, then removed, and molten brass poured into the impression. When a mold wears out,