Antique Polish Jewish Kupka Women’s Sabbath Cap Judaica 18th-19th Century Poland

A fine and rare example of the antique 18th-19th century "kupka - kupke," a cap worn by well-to-do religious Jewish women on the Sabbath and holidays, Poland, 18th century.

This magnificent Kupka is finely embellished in the highest quality of Spanier Arbeit. With goldwork, embroidery of intricate pattern with gold metallic threads, sequins, and bullion on brocade ribbed silk fabric and jeweled with cut and faceted ruby color glass pastes, edged with silk bobbin lace, handwoven raw silk lining, and with two tying ribbons.

For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant community of Ashkenazi Jews worldwide and was a major center of Jewish culture.

Polish Jews were known for centuries as craftsmen. They were mainly famous throughout Europe for their skills in goldsmithing, silversmithing, and textiles.

Luxurious textiles made of silk and embroidered with gold and silver thread using an intricate decorative technique known as Spanier Arbeit were created by Polish Jews during the 17th-19th century.

Polish Jews used the Spanier Arbeit technique in luxury textiles such as Torah mantles, Parochet - Ark Curtains, Atarah (decorative neck bands for Tallit), men's Kippah-Yarmulke, women's head coverings "kupka," and women's bodice pieces known as brustikher.

These products were made for the Polish market and export to other countries, such as, Austria, Bohemia, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and others.

The term Spanier Arbeit has been translated either as "spun work," derived from the Yiddish word "spinnen," or as "Spanish work."

However, the technique of Spanier Arbeit embroidery was most likely influenced by Ottoman Turkish goldsmith embroidery, to which most Polish Jewish luxury goldsmith embroidery is very similar. I believe so because from the late 16th century until the late 18th century, Ottoman Turkish fashion significantly influenced Polish clothing, arms, and armor.

By the mid-19th century, the main production center of Spanier Arbeit work was the town Sasów (Sassów), in Yiddish: סאַסאָװ.

This town was founded in 1615 by a Polish aristocrat and grandfather of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski, Jan Daniłowicz. Until 1772, the town was in the Kingdom of Poland. Then, until 1919, it became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Galicia district.

From 1919 to 1945, the town was once again part of Poland.

After World War II, the municipality was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The Spanier Arbeit technique was time-consuming and very expensive to make. Such "kupka" took about 200-300 hours of work and was affordable only for wealthy Jewish women. It was intended to be worn as a symbol of religiosity and to show off wealth and social class.

REFERENCES: Esther Juhasz, ed., "The Jewish Wardrobe: From the Collection of the Israel Museum," Jerusalem, 2012, pp. 90-91.

For related kupka, please see the links below:

https://il.bidspirit.com/ui/lotPage/source/catalog/auction/3483/lot/113787/WOMAN-S-SABBATH-HAT-Gold-thread?lang=en

We will provide the buyer with copies of the pages from the mentioned reference, together with a certificate of authenticity.

DIMENSIONS:

Height, including silk bobbin lace: 30 cm (11.81 inches).

Height excluding silk bobbin lace: 15 cm (5.91 inches).

Width at the bottom: 24 cm (9.45 inches).

CONDITION: It shows age and use, with some wear and oxidation. Bobbin lace has breaks, tears, and holes. All of this is an aspect of antique fabrics over 150 years old.

PROVENANCE:

Acquired from an old Canadian collection of Polish antiques and art, including Judaica.

Please view our store content to see other rare objects from this collection.

THE DISPLAY STAND IS A PROP AND IS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE KUPKA.