Early 20th Century North-African "Fleur-de-lis" Brass Hanukkah Lamp Menorah

Cast brass Hanukkah Lamp, Algeria, late 19th century or early 20th century. Unique design. Backplate is decorated with vegetal motifs and with a number of medallions, a small shield and a rectangle with fleur-de-lis decorations. Although the lamp's back style is typically European, the shape of the oil fonts and the Shamash is characteristic of North African Hanukkah lamps, and this region seems to be the lamp's origin. One of the most interesting Hanukkah Lamp made and used by Sephardic Jews in Algeria, yet bearing distinct European motifs that if anywhere, would be found on a Chanukah Lamp made in Central Europe and used by Ashkenazic Jews. The reason for this melding of styles and cultures, is of course because Algeria was a long held territory of France, which ended in 1962. This Chanukah lamp would be a “conversation piece” of any gathering of Judaica, even more so if placed in a diverse collection of Chanukah lamps from North Africa.