Rabbinische Gutachten über die Beschneidung [Rabbinical opinions on circumcision], compiled by Salomon Abraham Trier [R. Shlomo Zalman son of Avraham Trier]. Frankfurt am Main, 1844. German and Hebrew.
On the flyleaf, a handwritten inscription (in German and Hebrew) by "Dr. Wormser" [R. Shlomo Wormser (1814-1887), son of R. Shmuel Wormser Rabbi of Langen-Schwalbach and grandson of R. Shlomo Zalman Worms Rabbi of Fulda]. He relates that he received the book in 1845 from his teacher, R. Zalman Trier (compiler of the book; ordained Dr. Wormser for the rabbinate in 1834). He writes that R. Trier harshly criticized him for not writing an opinion letter to be published in this book.
In 1843, a Frankfurt-based newspaper published an article calling for the complete abolition of the mitzvah of circumcision, signed "Friends of the Reform". That same year, the Reform pedagogue Joseph Johlson (1777-1851) published a booklet in which he stated that every Jewish institution is entitled to replace circumcision with a different ritual. The group "Friends of the Reform" alleged that circumcision was the cause of crib deaths; due to the group's lobbying, the municipality of Frankfurt agreed to list uncircumcised children as Jews in the population registrars.
The rabbi of Frankfurt, R. Shlomo Zalman Trier (1758-1847), vigorously fought this decision and submitted several petitions to the municipality, stating that by Jewish law an uncircumcised boy cannot be called a Jew.
Simultaneously, R. Trier (together with R. Yissachar Ber Adler and R. Aharon Fuld) began to collect opinion letters from leading rabbis and Jewish intellectuals, on the importance of circumcision. 28 of these letters were printed in the present book. Among the writers: R. Yitzchak Dov HaLevi Bamberger of Würzburg; R. Samson Raphael Hirsch (then Rabbi of Emden); R. Yaakov Ettlinger of Altona, the Aruch LaNer; R. Yaakov Zvi Mecklenburg, author of HaKtav VehaKabbalah; Leopold Zunz of Berlin; Isaak Noah Mannheimer of Vienna and Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal) of Padua.
XXIV, 240 pages. 19.5 cm. Good condition. Original binding.
Noted on the title page: "Als manuskript gedruckt" [printed as a manuscript]. R. Binyamin Shlomo Hamburger (in his book HaYeshiva HaRama BeFiurda) explains that in order to avoid a public controversy, very few copies of the book were printed and they were never sold by booksellers. R. Hamburger writes that the book is scarce.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Manuscript, Hazkarat Neshamot pinkas (memorial book) of the burial society of Szeged (Hungary), [1879 onward].
Printed in gold on thick paper at the front of the pinkas: "Chevra Kadisha Gemilut Chassadim – Szeged, Elul 1879".
The pinkas lists hundreds of names of community members, including the rabbis and dayanim (R. Tzvi Bak, R. Yehuda [Leopold] Löw, R. Yosef Klein, R. Yosef Eliezer Bak and R. Elazar Ze'ev Seelenfreund).
With an inscription in memory of Lady Judith Montefiore, wife of Sir Moses Montefiore.
The Montefiores financially supported many charity organizations in Jewish communities worldwide. As a token of appreciation, they were appointed honorary presidents or honorary members of many Jewish organizations, and were mentioned in synagogue prayers.
More than 20 written leaves, and many more empty pages. 20 cm. Good condition. Stains. Tears and wear. Pieces of paper with handwritten corrections on some leaves. Fine velvet binding, with gilt design. Damage to binding.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Large, beautiful handwritten ketubah on parchment. Rome, Av 1831.
The text of the ketubah is set in a square border, decorated with floral motifs, verses and blessings. A crown with ribbons tops the ketubah; a floral bouquet adorns the decorative lower edge.
Witness signatures at the foot of ketubah.
80 cm. Good condition. Stains, creases and minor damage.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Ketubah recording the marriage of Yehuda Shalom Eliyahu (Leonardo) ben Shimshon Terni and Rivka bat Yosef Moscato. Florence, Nissan 1895.
Handwritten on parchment. Witnesses' signatures: R. Shmuel Tzvi Margulies and R. Mordechai Shmuel Passigli (rabbis of Florence). Signature of the groom in Italian.
R. Shmuel Tzvi Margulies (1858-1922), born in Galicia, served as rabbi in Hamburg, Germany. In 1890, he moved to Florence, where he served as rabbi until his death.
40.5X56 cm. Good condition. Some stains and creases.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Handwritten ketubah from Alexandria (Egypt), 1880. Text set in watercolor floral border.
The ketubah bears the stamp of R. Moshe Pardo, Torah scholar and dayan from Jerusalem who served as rabbi of Alexandria from 1870 until his passing in 1888.
For some reason, no witness signatures appear at the foot of the ketubah.
37 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Folding marks. Tears to folds, repaired.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.