A sacred art artifact considered the oldest known medieval Jewish ritual object will be put up for auction by Sotheby’s in New York on October 29, with an estimate between 3 and 5 million dollars.
In the heart of medieval Central Asia, a Jewish community flourished along the silk roads of Khorasan, a region that today includes parts of Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan.
Recently, an extraordinary object has emerged to illuminate the life and traditions of this community: a Kiddush cup, known as the “Cup of Joy,” dated between the 11th and 12th century.
A Rediscovered Treasure: The “Cup of Joy”
The “Cup of Joy” is a Kiddush cup, used in Jewish ceremonies to sanctify the wine during Shabbat and the holidays. Its discovery provides a rare material testimony of the existence and importance of Jewish communities in medieval Khorasan.
According to Sharon Liberman Mintz, senior specialist of Judaica at Sotheby’s, “this cup is an extraordinarily rare testimony of the existence and importance of Jewish communities in Central Asia during the Middle Ages, and of their cultural and artistic exchanges with the surrounding Islamic world”.
The Historical Context: The Jews of Khorasan
The region of Khorasan was a crossroads of cultures and trade along the Silk Road. The local Jewish communities thrived thanks to commercial and cultural exchanges with the surrounding populations.
However, the material evidence of these communities is extremely rare, especially due to the devastations caused by the Mongol invasions in the 13th century. The discovery of the “Cup of Joy” and other artifacts, such as the manuscripts of the Afghan Geniza, offers new perspectives on the life and traditions of these Jewish groups.
Characteristics and Importance of the Cup
The “Coppa della Gioia” represents a significant example of medieval Jewish art and culture. Its survival through the centuries is remarkable, considering that many silver objects were often melted down and reused.
The cup not only testifies to the religious practices of the time, but also reflects the cultural interaction between the Jews of Khorasan and the neighboring Islamic societies.
The Market of Sacred Art and Sotheby’s Auction
In recent years, the market for antiquities has seen a growing interest in medieval Jewish artifacts. The sale of the “Coppa della Gioia” fits into this context, attracting the attention of collectors and museum institutions.
The estimate of 3-5 million dollars reflects the rarity and historical importance of the object. The auction represents a unique opportunity to acquire a piece of Jewish history of inestimable value.
The “Coppa della Gioia” is not just an art object, but a window into a little-known chapter of Jewish history. Its discovery and the upcoming auction highlight the importance of preserving and studying such artifacts to better understand the cultural and religious interactions of the past.
Sacred art at auction
The market for manuscripts and religious medieval Jewish artifacts has recorded significant sales in recent years, highlighting a growing interest in these historical objects of great cultural and spiritual value.
An emblematic example is the sale of the Codex Sassoon, the oldest nearly complete Hebrew Bible dating back to the 10th century. In May 2023, this valuable manuscript was auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York for 38.1 million dollars, setting a record for a manuscript sold at auction. The buyer, lawyer Alfred Moses, subsequently donated the manuscript to the Anu Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv.
Another relevant case is that of the Bibbia di Shem Tov, an illuminated manuscript from 1312 attributed to the rabbi Shem Tov Ibn Gaon. This specimen, considered a masterpiece of the scribal art of the period, was auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York in September 2024, with an estimate between 5 and 7 million dollars.
Even outside the Jewish context, medieval manuscripts have reached considerable figures. For example, in June 2018, the “Petau Book of Hours”, a 1495 manuscript adorned with gold medallions, was sold at auction in Paris for 4.29 million euros, far exceeding the initial estimate.
These examples highlight how the market for medieval religious artifacts, particularly Jewish ones, is characterized by strong interest from collectors and institutions, with valuations reflecting the rarity, historical importance, and artistic quality of these objects.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
