Auction 69 - Part I -Rare and Important Items
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Collection of thousands of books, on widely varying topics, from Jewish religious texts to scholarly and reference works, bibliophile books and art works, from the library of the renowned bibliographer and book collector Israel Mehlman, printed ca. 1640-1985.
A large collection from the estate of Israel Mehlman, reflecting the wide range of his fields of interest. The collection includes: • Books printed in the 17th and 18th centuries. • Books printed in the 19th century (prayer books, Kabbalah, Musar and Chassidism). • Early Haskalah movement and Judaic studies works. • Hebrew bibliography works. • Books of Jewish thought, philosophy, art and poetry. • Books in bibliophile and limited editions. • Folk literature in Yiddish and Ladino. • Periodicals, polemic books and various publications. • And more.
A comprehensive list of the books will be sent upon request. The list was drawn up by the family, and the books were not examined by Kedem specialists. There may be slight differences between the list and the actual library, as well as in the state of the books. The buyer is responsible for verifying the accuracy of the information.
The viewing of the collection will take place at the family's home. Appointments can be scheduled through the Kedem office.
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Dr. Israel Mehlman (1900-1989) is renowned as one of the greatest book collectors, and for the bibliographic wealth of his library, which he laboriously and meticulously compiled. He began building up his library as a young refugee in Vienna, continually adding books and works after immigrating to Eretz Israel in 1935, and as head of educational and academic institutions. Until his final days, Dr. Mehlman continued collecting and methodically cataloging his books.
Dr. Israel Mehlman was born in Eastern Galicia; at the age of fourteen, as WWI broke, his family fled to Vienna, where he continued his studies, eventually graduating from the Vienna University. A teacher and educator, he continued his work in Palestine after immigrating there in 1935. He was appointed principal of the David Yellin Teachers College in Jerusalem, and head of the Jewish Agency Department of Education. Dr. Mehlman was also one of the founders of the Tel-Aviv University, and served as head of the department of literature and dramatic studies.
A large part of his library, which comprised at its zenith approximately 35,000 books, was donated to the National Library in Jerusalem, and to Beit Hatfutsot. After the donation, Dr. Mehlman enthusiastically resumed the development of his library. The National Library, upon receiving the collection, published a catalog, Ginzei Yisrael – The Israel Mehlman Collection in the Jewish National and University Library, An Annotated Catalogue of the Hebrew Books, Booklets and Pamphlets, with a bibliographic record of 1893 books from the collection, with 47 plates.
• An old suitcase. • Shoemaker's tools. • Mezuzah (in a leather pouch). • Handwritten paper items (including a slip of paper containing a list of names, presumably handwritten by the "Holy Shoemaker"). • Several letters addressed to R. J. Rabikoff, in various languages (from companies dealing in printing machinery), and other documents. • Printed pictures of the "Holy Shoemaker". • Large printed amulet on paper, "Amulet and protection from fire, for a woman giving birth and from any harmful matter". Jerusalem, [1874]. Sh. HaLevy 224 (framed). • Printed items: printed card, "Segulah for protection" by R. Fatiyah, printed based on a text found in "the estate of R. Moshe Yaakov… Rabikov"; invitation to a gathering in Tel Aviv opposing "foreign education", stating that one of the speakers would be Yosef Rabikov (son of the shoemaker), with an essay on the topic of the gathering handwritten on the verso of the invitation; booklet "Psalms… from the Tzaddik, the Holy Shoemaker…".
R. Moshe Yaakov son of R. Yosef HaKohen Rabikov (Rabikoff; 1873-1967) – the "Holy Shoemaker" from Shabazi St. in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. A hidden Tzaddik, kabbalist and wonder-worker. A native of Lithuania, he was the disciple of the kabbalist R. Shlomo Elyashov, author of Leshem Shevo VeAchlama (the Leshem). He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1913, and after an unsuccessful attempt to settle in Kfar Uria, in the Judean foothills, he moved to Jaffa, where he established his shoemaker's workshop. Before long, he began to draw the destitute and unfortunate, those in quest of good advice, arbitration or a monetary loan.
Despite his efforts to conceal his greatness and abilities, the leaders of the generation and kabbalists recognized his exceptional righteousness, entertained close ties with him and even studied Torah from him. The Chazon Ish reputedly urged him to reveal himself, and sent people to him for advice and blessings. It is also well-known that R. Kook attested to R. Aryeh Levin that the shoemaker is one of the 36 hidden righteous men of the generation. Many accounts of wonders and revelations of Divine Inspiration are retold about him, and already in his lifetime, word spread that he had merited a revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi (this was even publicized in the newspapers at that time). Multitudes flocked to his home daily, to receive his blessings, and benefit from great salvations.
Several months following his passing, the Six Day War broke out, and at the time rumors spread that in his will, the shoemaker had predicted Jewish victory and the downfall of their enemies. His gravesite in the Bnei Brak cemetery is renowned as a place of prayer and salvation until this day, and many who visit the grave of the Chazon Ish also pray by the grave of the shoemaker.
Approx. 11 tools, one mezuzah and approx. 20 paper items. Size and condition vary.
Oil on canvas. Signed: "Leon".
The painting depicts a Safed alleyway, with a mountainous landscape in the background.
R. Yehuda Leon Patilon (ca. 1905-Cheshvan 1974), painter and kabbalist, was renowned as a wonder-worker with foreknowledge of the future, well-versed in the domain of souls and reincarnations. Born in Salonika, Greece, he was orphaned of his father at a young age, and was raised by his grandfather, a kabbalist, who bequeathed to him his kabbalistic approach in worship of G-d, which included rising at midnight and study of Kabbalah. Following his conscription in the Greek army, he fled to Turkey and France (where he presumably studied art). In ca. 1946, he immigrated alone to Eretz Israel, where he drew close to a group of hidden Tzaddikim in the Shabazi neighborhood of Tel Aviv. These men, who earned a living from manual labor while secretly gathering to study Kabbalah together, included: R. Moshe Yaakov Rabikov ("the shoemaker"), the hidden Tzaddik R. Hillel Simchon, R. Avraham Fish ("the floorer"), R. Ezra Eliyahu HaKohen (father of "the milkman", R. Chaim Kohen), and R. Yosef Waltuch "the street-cleaner", who earned a living cleaning the streets of Tel Aviv. His teacher R. Hillel Simchon arranged his match with his wife – Rebbetzin Victoria from the Jerusalemite Nisan family, and they lived in great modesty in the Shabazi neighborhood of Tel Aviv, barely sustained by the sale of his paintings. R. Patilon would set the price of his paintings based only on the cost of the paper, the paint and the work time, although as a talented artist, he could have asked for a much higher price (see: Mishpacha, issue 1404, 12th Nisan 2019, pp. 352-363). R. Yehuda Patilon would paint whilst engrossed in spiritual reflections, completely dissociated from the material world, yet his paintings remain realistic. The figures often featured in his landscapes bear a somewhat mysterious character (thus for instance, when his paintings depict a man carrying baskets, this usually hints to his close friend, the hidden Tzaddik R. Yosef Waltuch, who would often walk around carrying baskets, and travel with him to holy sites in the Galilee). Wondrous stories are retold of his knowledge of hidden matters and the future, revelations of Eliyahu HaNavi, of people who came to him in quest of salvation; and of blessings and promises which were astoundingly fulfilled (see Mishpacha, ibid).
50X40.5 cm, framed: 56X46 cm. Good condition.
Silver (marked "A. Riedel", workshop mark, "84", "O.C." [Osip Sosnkowski], "1892", double-headed eagle and later marks) repoussé, die-stamped, cast and appliqué.
Back-plate surrounded by a frame of rocaille, flowers and leaves, extending over the width of the plate. Torah crown applied to top center, surmounted by a crouching gazelle, flanked by lions rampant regardant, langued. Centered by a seven-branched Menorah flanked by stylized pillars.
Festooned balcony mounted with palm trees flanked by lions and spiral silver wire posts bearing two cockerels, a bird, a gazelle and an eagle perched on a silver sphere; all behind a row of eight candle holders supported by eagles.
The Hanukkah lamp is set on four foliate and ball supports. A (removeable) Shamash fixed to the right of the back-plate, oil jug (also removable) fixed to left, both on spiral silver wire.
Height: 34.5 cm. Width: approx. 27.5 cm. Good condition. Minor bends.
Provenance:
1. Private collection.
2. On loan to the Jewish Historical Museum of Amsterdam 1967-2017. Catalog no. MB00355.
Carved wood; plaster; paint and gilding.
Approx. 88X85 cm. Fair-poor condition. Considerable fractures and losses to wood and paint. Glue repairs to wood. Paint and gilding repairs. Mounted on a wooden board.
Copper; hammered, raised and engraved.
A large, flat plate. Wide rim, engraved with the Hebrew words "Chad Gadya" in a traditional font; followed by scenes from the piyyut, starting with the kid and ending with the Angel of Death lying dead. Beside each scene, the corresponding quote from the piyyut appears in raised letters, in the modern, functional font identified with Gumbel's works in particular and New Bezalel artists in general. The plate is signed on verso: "G / Jerusalem" (Hebrew).
David Heinz Gumbel (1906-1992) was born in Sinsheim in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. His family was among the pioneers of local modern industry; his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all industrialists. Gumbel grew up in nearby Heilbronn which was a center of silverware industry, and worked at the Bruckmann & Söhne silverware factory. At the age of 21 he moved to Berlin to study silversmithing at the Kunstgewerbe Schule school of art. After graduating, he returned to Heilbronn and started producing modern silverware at his father's factory, Gumbel & Co. His handmade silverware was characterized by use of highly polished silver combined with additional materials, clearly belonging to the Bauhaus and other parallel schools. In 1936, as the situation of the Jews of Germany took a turn for the worse, Gumbel immigrated to Palestine, settled in Jerusalem and for a while worked at the silverware workshop of silversmith Emmy Roth, of the first silversmiths to make modern Judaica. After several months, he started teaching metal and Jewelry design at the New Bezalel and in 1942 opened his own workshop, in which he spent decades making Judaica, dinnerware and jewelry. In 1955, he retired from Bezalel, his colleague Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert following suit a year later; however, the visual language they had created and their unique style continued to influence the works of students for many more years.
Gumbel, like other Bezalel artists, adopted the use of Hebrew letters in Judaica in order to emphasize the Jewish and national nature of his work; however, unlike others, he perceived the verses and words he added to his works of art as a form of decoration rather than a meaningful, central part of the object.
Diameter: 42.5 cm. Good condition. Bends. Minor welding repairs. Slight corrosion. Stains.
Literature: Forging Ahead: Wolpert and Gumbel, Israeli Silversmiths for the Modern Age, by Sharon Weiser-Ferguson. Jerusalem: Israel Museum, 2012.
The first "Görlitz Shekel" coins were struck in the 15th century, at a time when few knew what Jewish coins from the First Jewish–Roman War looked like. Their invention is attributed to George Emmerich, mayor of Görlitz in Prussia, who visited Palestine as a pilgrim in 1465, and upon his return to Görlitz, built a replica of the Holy Sepulchre. The pilgrims who came to the site were offered souvenir tokens, first introduced as copies of one of the thirty pieces of silver given to Judas Iscariot by the Romans for betraying Jesus. Ever since, such coins were struck with small variations, at first throughout the Holy Roman Empire and later in other countries, including the USA, and were popular among Jews and Christians alike. Struck without seeing a genuine shekel, the Görlitz Shekels design relied on the few and faulty testimonies that appeared in books and on imagination. Thus, while ancient Jewish coins bear legends in Ancient Hebrew script (Paleo-Hebrew), the legends "Shekel Israel" and "Holy Jerusalem" appear on Görlitz Shekels in square Hebrew script; the pomegranate branch and the goblet, while taken from descriptions of genuine shekel coins, vary in design. Although at first the coins were introduced as souvenirs, it wasn't long before they started being sold as ancient coins from the Temple period.
Over the years, they were used for different purposes: they served as souvenirs and amulets; among the Jews of Europe, they were used as a remembrance of the half shekel collected in the time of the Temple or used for charity or for observing the Mitzvah of gifts to the poor on Purim; some used them as the five coins for Pidyon Haben (Redemption of the Son).
This collection contains many types of Görlitz Shekels, from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries (possibly even earlier; one coin is a variation of the Meysel-Shekel, a type of Görlitz Shekel sometimes dated 1584. The coin in this collection does not bear a date). Some of them are not recorded in the Kisch catalog (1941).
Several 19th century Görlitz Shekels in this collection were made in England and are inscribed with manufacturers' names. One of these coins is in the original cardboard box in which it was sold at the store of A. Bührer in London, with a label describing the coin as a copy of the Shekels of Judas Iscariot.
The collection also contains Masonic tokens, one side or both sides of which are designed as Görlitz Shekels. Some made in the USA; two counterfeit First Jewish-Roman War Shekels, presumably 19th century; a reproduction-medal of the Görlitz Shekel, dated 1999 [presumably issued by a Museum in Görlitz]; and more.
A total of 120 medals. Size and condition vary.
Literature:
1. Shekel Medals and False Shekels, by Bruno Kisch, New York, 1941. A printout from Historia Judaica, vol. III, no. 2.
2. The Third Side of the Coin (Hebrew), by Ya'akov Meshorer. Jerusalem: Yad Yitzchak ben Zvi, 2006.
3. The Coins of Palestine (Hebrew), Bank of Israel Collection, Catalog, by Aryeh Kindler. Jerusalem: Keter, 1971.
Twenty-nine letters and documents bearing the handwritten signatures of European kings and emperors: Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and other kingdoms. Mid-16th century to mid-20th century. German and French.
A collection of twenty-nine letters and documents, most of them handwritten on paper or parchment, bearing the handwritten signatures of European kings and emperors. Appearing on many of them is the seal of the kingdom (some are wax seals and some are inked or embossed seals); a few are written on official stationery. Two of the letters are typewritten.
The collection contains signatures of several of the greatest European rulers, alongside rare signatures of kings whose rule lasted only a brief time, or kings whose countries do not exist anymore. Among them: • a letter from 1575 signed by Henri III (1551-1589), the last king of the Valois dynasty of France. • A letter from 1578 signed by Felipe II (1527-1598) – King of Spain, Portugal, Napoli, Sicily and England, of the greatest rulers of his era. • A letter from 1830 signed by Karl XIV (1763-1844), King of Sweden. • A document from 1878 signed by Frederick III (1831-1888), the German Emperor (whose rule lasted only 99 days). • A document signed by Jean d'Albret, King of Navarre (a region now divided between France and Spain). • And more.
Some of the documents in the collection are signed by kings and emperors whose rule left a deep impression on the history of the Jews of their country. Including: • A letter signed by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II. Maximilian II was considered a supporter of the Jews and during his rule, deportation orders issued by his predecessors were cancelled and the privileges denied to the Jews of Bohemia were regranted to them. In 1571, in an especially rare gesture by a European ruler, he held a parade in the Jewish ghetto of Prague. • A letter from 1753 signed by Maria Theresa (1717-1780) – the Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Bohemia, under whose rule the Jews were forced to pay draconian taxes, suffered pogroms and were expelled from Prague and Budapest. • A long letter (12 pages) signed by Frederick II (Frederick the Great, 1712-1786), one of the greatest Kings of Prussia, who was especially hostile to the Jews, issued dozens of decrees against them and in 1752 even stated that they are "the most dangerous of all sects". • Several documents signed by Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor. He is noted in the history of Zionism due to his meeting with Theodor Herzl and his support of the plan to settle Jews in Palestine. • And more.
These letters and documents were collected out of interest in the relationship between Jews and kings. They are mounted on thick paper plates and are organized in two albums. Some of the plates are cut to render both sides of the documents visible and to most of them are attached notes with the name of the signed ruler, the years of his life and the content of the document (clippings from auction catalogues, mostly in German). One of the albums is titled "Collection of authentic autographs of 'kings' throughout the ages" (Hebrew. On a label pasted to the album's cover). Under the title are four references to Jewish sources dealing with the attitude of Judaism to monarchs.
Size and condition vary. Good-fair overall condition.
Enclosed: a letter signed by Anne de Montmorency (1493-1567), a French military commander and statesman.
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Regarding the Attitude of the Jews towards the Monarchs of the Nations
Throughout history, wherever they lived, the Jewish people treated the local monarchs with respect and loyalty. Thus they followed in the footsteps of the Talmudic Sages who ruled one should pray for the wellbeing of the monarch and be loyal to him: "Rabbi Chanina, the deputy High Priest, says: Pray for the welfare of the government…" (Pirkei Avot 3:2). The sages also ruled one should be obedient to the king, saying: "The law of the land is the law" (Dina d'malkhuta dina) and stating that G-d had made the People of Israel swear they will not rebel against the nations of the world (Ketubot 111). They also formulated a special blessing for one who sees a king: "Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has given of His glory to human beings", and in the Shulchan Aruch it is ruled: "One should strive to see kings, even those of the nations of the world" (Orach Chaim 224:9). In all Jewish communities, a special prayer, "He who gives salvation to kings", was said, and special prayers were formulated for the health and success of kings and their families.
Nell' Occasione di essere stata attaccata dal vajuolo e per Divina Grazia restituita in salute Sua Maesta' Imperiale Reale Appostolica l'augustissima Maria Teresa – elegant booklet illustrated with fine engravings, published by the Mantua Jewish community in honor of the recovery of Empress Maria Theresa from smallpox. Venice, 1767.
In 1767, Maria Theresa, empress of the Holy Roman Empire and queen of Italy, contracted smallpox. The Mantua community instituted special prayers for the queen's recovery (see: Simonsohn, Toldot HaYehudim BeDukasut Mantova, I, p. 131). Following the queen's recuperation, the community decided to have printed in Venice the texts of the prayers recited during her illness, with the addition of a special prayer of thanksgiving for her renewed good health. According to Simonsohn (ibid), some 300 copies were printed, including 100 on high-quality paper. This is one of those copies (though it is unclear whether it is a "high-quality" or regular copy).
This booklet includes: Prayers for Maria Theresa's recovery, prayer of thanksgiving for her recovery, two poems by R. Yaakov Saraval, two poems by R. Yisrael Gedalia Cases, and the prayer for the monarch. All the Hebrew texts are accompanied by their Italian translation, on facing pages.
The booklet is decorated throughout with well-executed engravings and ornamented initials.
39 pages. 31 cm. Wide margins. Good condition. Stains. Cardboard cover, damaged.
A corresponding copy of this booklet, in a different layout and with different engravings, is located in the Austrian National Library, Vienna.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.
The Jewish community of Rome, which exists since the first century B.C. to the current day, is considered the most ancient Jewish community in Europe. In 1555, after hundreds of years of tolerance by the authorities, Pope Paul IV issued the Cum Nimis Absurdum (Latin: Since it is absurd), a bull placing religious and economic restrictions on the Jews, prohibiting them from owning real estate and fraternizing with Christians, requiring them to attend Christian sermons on Sabbath and wear yellow hats and kerchiefs and, most importantly, prohibiting them from living near Christians (leading to the establishment of the Rome ghetto). The bull started one of the worst periods in the history of the community, which became the poorest and most wretched community in Western Europe. For the next two hundred and fifty years, the Jews of Rome lived in disgraceful poverty, within the ghetto only, and were exposed to conversion attempts by the authorities (there were even cases of kidnappings and coerced baptizing), until the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy and the return of the Jews' rights. Offered here is a collection of official broadsides and booklets printed during this difficult time (five of them from the late 16th century), documenting the life of the community and the restrictions imposed on it. Including:
• A decree from 1592, imposing various prohibitions on the Jews: prohibitions on employing Christian women, eating with Christians, giving singing, dancing or Hebrew lessons to Christians, selling medicine or giving medical treatment to Christians, a prohibition on playing games with Christians and other prohibitions (some mentioning the fine imposed in case of violation). • A decree from 1599, prohibiting the harming of Jews. • A printed broadside issued by the Franciscan Order in 1731, announcing that the Jews continue to be in possession of Talmud books and other books opposed to Christianity. • Booklet of regulations that was printed in 1752, presumably by the community. The Hebrew acronym "Bah Ami Asu" [the initial letters of the following Hebrew verses: In the name of the Lord, My help comes from G-d, who made heaven and earth] is printed on the title page. • A booklet from 1810, documenting the short time when the Jews were granted back their rights when the city was occupied by the French during the wars of Napoleon. • And more.
Size and condition vary. Good-fair overall condition. Stains, creases and tears to margins. Fold lines, inscriptions and partially open tears (mostly small). Worming in two booklets. Long tears to one broadside.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.
The Jewish community of Mantua, existing since the late Middle Ages (and according to some assumptions, even earlier), is considered one of the most important Jewish communities in the history of Italy. The community was known for its thriving printing industry and its important contribution to the economy and banking. Offered here is a varied and important collection of documents – printed broadsides and booklets issued by the authorities concerning the Jews, spanning more than one hundred and fifty years and documenting the lives of the Jews during early Modern History. The documents had belonged to Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn and were used by him to write his comprehensive book Toldot HaYehudim BeDukasut Mantova (Jerusalem, 1963-1965).
The collection contains broadsides publishing regulations for the protection of Jews (some of them detailing the prohibitions on harming Jews imposed on the Christian population); a booklet dealing with rights of the Jewish community; a 1612 broadside dealing with the restrictions imposed on Jewish bankers and additional broadsides dealing with monetary and banking issues; three broadsides, printed between 1709 and 1727, refering to the Jewish merchant Abram Vita Fano; a broadside dealing with the rights of Jews who converted to Christianity; and more. Seven broadsides from the 16th century.
Size and condition vary. Good-fair overall condition. Stains, creases and blemishes. Tears and partially open tears (mostly small, to margins).
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.
"Seder HaHaaracha VehaHanhaga" is the name of tax regulations which were printed from time to time, from the late 16th century until the late 18th century in the Mantua community. The authors of the regulations – "Mesadrei HaHaaracha", who were appointed by the community institutions, established the various criteria for tax assessment and for the community constitution. The regulations were generally instituted for the coming three years, and at the end of this period, a new booklet was published, with the regulations to be applied in the next three-year period.
This collection belonged to Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn, and some of its historic contents was integrated into his fundamental book Toldot HaYehudim BeDukasut Mantova, Jerusalem 1963-1965.
Study of these regulations sheds light on the change in the economic situation of the Jews of Mantua over the years. These booklets serve as a valuable, historical source on Jewish community life in the 17th and 18th centuries, and offer many details on the various occupations of the members of the community, the merchandise and types of property, and more (see Simonsohn, Toldot HaYehudim BeDukasut Mantova, I, pp. 274-284 regarding the tax regulations and Sidrei HaHaaracha). Starting from the beginning of the 18th century, an announcement of excommunication was added at the end of the regulations, which applied to any member of the community who did not conform with the regulations.
Seder HaPragmatika or Seder HaHaskama was the set of standards regulating the conduct of the community members, instituted for a period of six years. These regulations contained various clauses which determined, in great detail, the standards of acceptable conduct in various areas: the use of luxurious clothes and fabric, wigs, jewelry and jewels; modesty in women's clothing and their conduct in public places; the scope of various celebrations and the maximum amount of money to be spent on weddings; the prohibition of gambling with cards, dices and the like; and many other regulations. (For more information on the history of Pragmatika, see: Simonsohn, Toldot HaYehudim BeDukasut Mantova, II, pp. 386-395).
This collection comprises the Seder HaHaaracha booklets printed in the years: 1695, 1701, 1726, 1732, 1744, 1750, 1759 (two copies, one is lacking 4 leaves), 1774, 1777 (two different booklets, one entitled Eleh HaDevarim), 1786, 1793. Several booklets contain handwritten emendations.
The collection also includes: A broadside – "Seder HaHaskama… Regarding the Clothing and Jewelry of Men and Women, and Regarding Banquets and Gifts…" printed in 1650, and two large Seder HaPragmatika broadsides, printed in 1759 and 1765.
15 paper items. 13 booklets (one lacking 4 leaves), in varying sizes; one broadside, 41.5X31 cm; two particularly large broadsides, 56.5X40 cm. Good condition. Light-colored, high-quality paper. Stains. Dampstains. Traces of past dampness to one booklet, with mold. Unopened pages in many booklets. Fold lines to broadsides.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.