Antique silver rimmonim belonging to The Great Synagogue, Sydney, have been sold.

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A PAIR of 1719 circa silver rimmonim (Torah crowns) belonging to Sydney's Great Synagogue sold for more than $A400,000 at the New York auction house Sotheby's last week, despite criticism over the shul's decision to sell some of Australia's most valuable Judaica overseas.

According to Sotheby's website, the rare early English Torah finials, crafted by William Spackman, sold to an unnamed US private buyer for $US338,500.

The sale came after the Sydney Jewish Museum had expressed disappointment at the prospect of the local community losing the rare pieces, and the desire for the relics to become part of its new ground-floor exhibit on Australian Jewish history and culture.

The Great declined to comment on the sale, but earlier told The AJN that it planned to use the proceeds to help preserve its existing collection of ritual silver, textiles and Sifrei Torah, many of which are pasul (unfit for use).

Until a few months ago, the rimmonim had sat neglected and stored away for years, until the shul's curator stumbled upon them and had them polished and valued by an expert.