Sotheby’s has revealed the world’s oldest known Kiddush cup, a rare and extraordinary piece of medieval Judaica, which will be on public display for the first time in London later this month.
Dubbed the “Cup of Joy,” this silver goblet dates back to the 11th or 12th century and is expected to fetch between £2.4 million and £4 million when it goes under the hammer in New York this October.
The cup was recently uncovered in a private collection and is believed to have originated in the Khorasan region along the historic Silk Road—once home to a flourishing Jewish community. It is considered the only surviving piece of Judaica from this early period, making it a truly exceptional find.
“This cup is an extraordinarily rare record of the existence and importance of Jewish communities in Central Asia during the Middle Ages,” said Sharon Liberman Mintz, Sotheby’s International Senior Judaica Specialist. “Its survival for nearly a thousand years is nothing short of remarkable.”
What sets the Cup of Joy apart is its unique combination of Hebrew and Arabic inscriptions, including blessings such as:
“Simcha son of Salman, Simcha may he live for Eternity,”
and
“With Good-fortune, and Blessing, and Joy and Joy, and Happiness… Long Life to its owner.”
Experts point to the repeated use of the Arabic word surur (joy) and the Hebrew name Simcha (also meaning joy) as a rare and symbolic instance of interfaith artistic expression—blending cultural and linguistic traditions from both Jewish and Islamic worlds.
The Cup of Joy will be on view at Sotheby’s London from April 25 to 29, as part of the auction house’s Islamic, Orientalist & Middle Eastern Art Week. Photo Credit: Sotheby’s.