Vintage and Antique Menorahs

If you grew up with a menorah in your home, odds are it was relatively small, made of brass, and featured minimal cast decorations. But Hanukkah lamps (also spelled Hanukah and Chanukah, and also known as a hannukiah) can be ornate and artful. While some are traditionally shaped, with a central pedestal holding eight arms, plus a ninth hole for the shamash (used to light the other candles) at the center, others resemble small benches or shelves that either sit on a table or are meant to be hung on a wall. Metals such as sterling silver and various copper alloys were favorites of menorah makers, whose chased, traced, and embossed these ceremonial objects.