[Midrash] Tanchuma HaNikra Yelamdeinu. Venice, [1545]. Daniel Bomberg Printing.
Owner signatures: “Chaim Volterra”, “Yitzchak Koshti”. [Rabbi Chaim Volterra, among the prominent rabbis of Italy, served in the rabbinate of Ancona, Senigallia, Finale and Venice in the mid-eighteenth century. For additional information related to him see “Sinai” 25, pages 77-78 and the approbation to the book Nahar Shalom, Vintura].
Few glosses [some cut off] in handwriting [Italian and oriental], from a number of writers.
98 leaves. Leaves 40-42 bound out of order. 28 cm. Fair-poor condition. Hole in title page. Coarse tears in margins of title page and leaves 2-8, 85-98, with missing text. Stains. Dampness damage. Tears. Censorship deletions.

Ma'ayanei HaYeshua, by Don Yitzchak Abarbanel, a commentary on Daniel. [Ferrara, 1551, Shmuel Tzarfati Printing Press]. First edition.
The book's essays are called Ma'ayanot (12 Einot Mayim, springs of water) and its sections are called Temarim, (dates); at the end "Index of Seventy Dates".
Contains long introductions by the author Don Yitzchak Abarbanel and by the publisher, disciple of Rabbi Baruch Uziel Chizkiyahu (who adds to his introduction the biography of Abarbanel). The introductions are a wellspring of information about the life of the Jews in Spain before their expulsion and after it; the book's purpose is to strengthen the People's belief in the future redemption, and it shows how all the events are hinted at in the Book of Daniel.
In 1492, Abarbanel expended much effort to prevent the Spanish Expulsion, but in the end he failed and went into exile together with his People to Naples, Italy. In 1495, he was forced to escape to Sicily and all his possessions were confiscated. He died in Venice and was buried in Padua in 1508.
Ancient owners' signature at top of second leaf: "Shlomo de Fadiya" and few handwritten notes in book leaves.
142 leaves, 20.5 cm. Missing and substituted by photocopy: title page, last four leaves.
Good general condition. Various stains on leaves. Tears to leaf margins that were professionally restored. Remnants of antique leather cover pasted on new leather cover.
The first Hebrew book completely printed in Ferrara, or one of the first Hebrew books printed there.
From Dr. Israel Mehlman's private collection.

Olelot Ephraim, homiletics for festivals and ethics. Rabbi Ephraim of Luntshits. (Parts 1-4). Lublin, [1590], Klonimus ben Mordechai Yaffe Printing. First edition.
Hundreds of corrections in ancient handwriting. Some of the corrections are signed by the person who wrote them "Chaim R. H." [To identify the person who signed: See attached material]. On the title page [possibly attached from a different copy] signatures and inscriptions in very ancient handwriting, "Chaim Son of Rabbi Moshe Segal" and additional signatures.
108, 108-109, 200-209, 300-341, 142-154, [1], 14 leaves. 28.5 cm. Good-fair condition, stains and tears. Old cover with leather spine (non-original).
This copy has another 2 leaves of a "List of Mistakes" (Leaves 13-14), that are not listed in the Bibliography Institute CD Listing 0170554. [In the Vinograd and Rosenfeld CD, all the last 15 leaves are not listed].
Rare. From Dr. Israel Mehlman's private collection.