{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O95560"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O95560/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PP0061/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PP0061/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PP0061","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0069","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0063","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0067","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0066","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0065","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0064","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0070","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0068","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0060","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PP0062","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022NF0621","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O95560","accessionNumber":"LOAN:MONTEFIORE.1","objectType":"Candelabrum and stand","titles":[{"title":"Testimonial Candelabrum and stand","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This candelabrum was presented in 1859 to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore by Mohamed Tousson, the 4-year-old son of Said, the ruler of Egypt, to thank them for their hospitality after he had stayed with them for an extended period. The candelabrum shows two camels under a palm tree, one carrying a man wearing a  turban. A second turbaned man stands by the other camel. As this object was a gift from the Muslim Said to the Jewish Montefiores, the two men may symbolise cordial relations between Islamic and Jewish peoples.","physicalDescription":"Testimonial candelabrum with salad dish, on historic stand. The candelabrum and salad dish are of silver and the historic stand is of carved wood. The candelabrum is in the form of a central palm tree, with leaves extending upwards. Two silver scrolls surround the central scene of a man atop a camel, a man leading a horse, and a second camel. The whole scene sits on a silver base of scrolls and foliage. A dish, most likely used to serve salad, surmounts the candelabrum. ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Smith & Nicholson","id":"A11115"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"raising","id":"AAT237068"},{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver, wood","categories":[{"text":"Commemoration","id":"THES250532"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Silver","id":"THES251836"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2026PP0061","2026PP0069","2026PP0063","2026PP0067","2026PP0066","2026PP0065","2026PP0064","2026PP0070","2026PP0068","2026PP0060","2026PP0062","2022NF0621"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"67","id":"THES49731"},"free":"","case":"PL002","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"NONE","id":"THES49066"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"67","id":"THES49731"},"free":"","case":"PL002","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"NONE","id":"THES49066"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Candelabrum","id":"AAT37584"}],[{"text":"Case hood","id":""}],[{"text":"Stand","id":"AAT39767"}],[{"text":"Base for Candelabrum","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1858-1859","earliest":"1858-05-29","latest":"1859-05-28"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Lent by the Trustees of the Montefiore Endowment","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"92","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx, object measured from outside of the case","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Presented by H.H. Tousson Pacha to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in grateful remembrance of their kindness and affection, 1858'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"Montefiore coat-of-arms and the word 'Jerusalem' in Hebrew. ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In cartouche on back of base"},{"content":"Marks of Smith and Nicholson, London hallmarks, leopard, duty, date letter, sterling for 1858-59.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Marks on most detachable parts although not a full set each time."}],"objectHistory":"Mohamed Tousson, the 4-year-old son of Said, the ruler of Egypt, presented this candelabrum to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in 1859 to thank them for their hospitality after he had stayed with them for an extended period. The candelabrum shows two camels under a palm tree, one carrying a man wearing a turban. A second turbaned man stands by the other camel. As this object was a gift from the Muslim Said to the Jewish Montefiores, the two men may symbolise the Islamic and Jewish peoples. The seated man carries a gun while the Jewish man does not, as Jews in Muslim lands were forbidden from carrying firearms. The young man with a horse may represent an adult version of Tousson shown here as an intermediary between the two cultures. On the back of the base is the Montefiore coat of arms featuring the word 'Jerusalem' in Hebrew. \n\nThe base of the candelabrum is inscribed, 'Presented by H.H. Tousson Pacha to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in grateful remembrance of their kindness and affection, 1858'. Sir Moses Montefiore and his wife Judith hosted Mohamed Tousson, the son of the ruler of Egypt, on three occasions between 1857 and 1859. The Montefiores were leaders of the British Jewish community, who campaigned to improve the situation of Jews living in the Middle East and North Africa. The Montefiores' relations with Egyptian royalty began in 1839 when they visited Alexandria on their return from a mission to support Jewish communities devastated by an earthquake in Galilee, then under Egyptian rule. \n\nIn 1852, the Montefiores hosted the Crown-Prince of Egypt and his entourage for two weeks. Sir Moses hoped that Said would, 'be a friend to our co-religionists in Egypt and the Holy Land when he became ruler of Egypt.' In 1857, Said sent his young son, Tousson, and the boy's English nanny, to stay with the Montefiores for several months. Montefiore introduced the little prince to Queen Victoria and her children at Windsor Castle, where he made such a good impression that she asked for favourable treatment for his family.","historicalContext":"There was a huge demand for presentation silver in the 19th-century, and the largest and most prestigious firms such as Mortimer and Hunt (later Hunt and Roskell), Elkingtons, and C. J. Hancock vied with each other to show their latest pieces at the international exhibitions. Sculptural testimonials were very fashionable and the pieces were often published. On a smaller scale, gold boxes, swords, tea sets and salvers were also presented as testimonials to councillors, businessmen, soldiers and sailors. The candelabrum appeared in the 'Illustrated London News' in March 1859 where it was praised for showing 'the richest style of workmanship.' The  serving dish which surmounts the object was shown filled with salad leaves. ","briefDescription":"Testimonial candelabrum of silver with salad dish on top, on historic wooden stand. Made by Smith and Nicholson, hallmarked London, 1858-59. ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"The Illustrated London News. March 26 1859 p. 309"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Friedlander, Michal and Green, Abigail, 'What the V&A's Montefiore Masterpieces Reveal about Jewish History', Jewish News, [online], 29 May 2026. Available at: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/what-the-vas-montefiore-masterpieces-reveal-about-jewish-history/ [Accessed 29 May 2026]."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Sir Moses Montefiore","id":"N12204"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["LOAN:MONTEFIORE.1:1","LOAN:MONTEFIORE.1:2","LOAN:MONTEFIORE.1:3","LOAN:MONTEFIORE.1:4"],"accessionNumberNum":"1","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:MONTEFIORE","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-07-20","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-03","availableToBook":false}}