Tur Even HaEzer, with Beit Yosef. Venice: Giorgio di Cavalli, [1565]. One of the editions printed in the lifetime of the author, as alluded to on the title page: "And he entitled it Beit Yosef, may G-d grant him more lengthy days and good years…", and in the chronogram at the foot of the title page which translates as "Yosef Karo is still alive".
Ownership inscription (trimmed) on title page: "Yosef son of [---] Yitzchak Eizik Ashkenazi…".
232 leaves. Leaves 119-120 bound upside down. 33.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains and traces of former dampness. Tears, including open tears to title page and first and last leaves, affecting text, mostly repaired with paper. Worming, slightly affecting text. Early binding, damaged. Spine composed of parchment leaves from an early Latin manuscript.
The printer's device of Giorgio di Cavalli, printed on the title page, depicts an elephant bearing warriors in a turret, flanked by a Hebrew inscription (regarding this printer's device, see: Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriyim, images 32-34 and p. 136; Ruthie Kalman, Printer's Marks from Hebrew Books Printed in Venice in the 16th Century, doctoral dissertation, 2010 [Hebrew]). According to Yaari, the Hebrew inscription was added by the renowned proofreader R. Shmuel son of Yitzchak of Bohemia (who later worked at the Prostitz press in Kraków).
CB, no. 5500,38; Zedner, p. 810; Cowley p. 289.
