Auction 98 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Books Printed in Jerusalem, Letters and Manuscripts, Jewish Ceremonial Art
Five Books of the Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim. Geneva: Kafa [Cephas] Elon, 1618.
Vocalized Bible. Two columns per page. Divisional title pages for Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Acharonim and Ketuvim (Five Megillot printed after the Torah, without divisional title page).
Ketuvim title page differs from the other title pages, and is not found in all copies.
Two columns per page, like the Bible edition used by R. Aryeh Levin for Goral HaGra, following a special tradition transmitted from the Vilna Gaon.
Handwritten inscriptions of chapter numbers and totals of verses.
369; 124 leaves. Leaves 103-104 of first sequence bound out of place, after leaf 100. 21.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Minor wear to some leaves. Creases to title page at beginning of volume. Tears, including small marginal open tears to several leaves, slightly affecting text of second leaf. Trimming of Ketuvim title page slightly affecting bottom of illustrated frame. Second leaf mostly detached. Old binding, with leather spine and corners and original colorful endpaper. Wear and damage to binding.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Five Books of the Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim. Amsterdam: Menasseh ben Israel, [1631-1635].
Fine copy. At the beginning of the volume is a title page with a copper engraving with the name of the printer and proofreader. Additional title page in Latin. Divisional title pages for Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Acharonim and Ketuvim (on all three title pages, the date of printing is corrected to 1636, in the same hand).
One of the only Bible editions at the time printed by Jews. Two columns per page, like the Bible edition used by R. Aryeh Levin for Goral HaGra, following a special tradition transmitted from the Vilna Gaon.
Four parts in one volume. Torah and Five Megillot: [1], 144 leaves. Neviim Rishonim: [145]-254 leaves. Neviim Acharonim: [255]-369 leaves, [1] blank leaf. Ketuvim: 124, [2] leaves. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Stains, including light dampstains. Leather binding, with wear and damage (tear to edges of spine and rubbing marks in many places). Contains [2] leaves at the end of Ketuvim section – table of Haftarot for the whole year according to all customs, included in some copies only.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Tikun Sofrim, year-round Torah portions and Haftarot. Amsterdam: for Samuel Rodrigues Mendes, Moses Sarfati and David Gomes da Silva, 1726.
Title pages illustrated with copper engravings by Bernard Picart. Divisional title page for Haftarot. Includes table of Torah readings for the festivals, and tables in Spanish (folding leaves), with divisional title page in Hebrew and Spanish.
After the Haftarot section are bound leaves which usually appear at the beginning of the volume: poems in praise of the edition, cantillation, a chart for the festival readings, corrections by the proofreader, and more. Two leaves missing, with approbation and chart of double Torah portions.
Stamps of "Saadat Bachurim" society (Amsterdam).
[3], 3-327, [2], 329-446, [10] leaves; 9-16 pages; [3] folding leaves with charts, [2] leaves. [6] leaves originally bound at the beginning of the book are bound after the Haftarot section. Missing [2] leaves at the beginning of the book. 17 cm. High-quality paper. Good condition. Stains. Small tears and creases to a few leaves. Old binding, with leather spine. Light wear and light damage to binding.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Chumash set – Tikun Sofrim, Five Books of the Torah, with Haftarot. Amsterdam: sons of Shlomo Proops Katz, [1751]. Fine five-volume set.
Original elaborate leather bindings, with gilt decorations. Title pages for books of the Torah only at beginning of first two volumes. Divisional title page at end of each volume.
Five volumes. Bereshit: [8], 88; [3], 8 leaves. Leaves 37-44 misordered. Leaf 39 appears twice. Shemot: [1], 89-162; [8]-18 leaves. [1] leaf with Song of the Sea, originally appearing at the end of Shemot volume, bound at beginning of Bereshit volume. Vayikra: 163-212; [19]-25 leaves. Bamidbar: 213-283; 27-28, [1], 29-32 leaves. Devarim: 284-333, 335-347; 33-55, [1] leaves. Missing leaf 334. 20 cm. Gilt edges (slightly faded). Good condition. Stains. Few tears to several leaves. Original leather bindings, with original color endpaper. Damage to bindings.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Ezrat HaSofer, "Tikun Sofrim Vavei HaAmudim", Shemot through Devarim, with Haftarot, and with Or Torah by R. Menachem de Lonzano. Amsterdam: Gerhard Johann Janson at press of Yisrael Mondovi, [1767-1769]. Four of five volumes. Illustrated half-title in all volumes, dated 1769. Other title pages dated 1767. Divisional title pages for Haftarot sections, dated 1768.
Fine copies, bound in original elegant leather binding adorned with silver clasps.
Does not contain Bereshit volume with Meir Nativ, a work on Holy Names in the Torah, by R. Yehuda Pisa. Printed at the end of the Book of Devarim is the Haftarah of Shabbat Eichah with Spanish translation (verse per verse), and Luchot HaIbur (calendrical tables; divisional title page; Hebrew and Portuguese).
This book was prepared as a model for scribes writing a Torah scroll (conforming with the custom known as Vavei HaAmudim – each column of the Torah scroll starting with the letter Vav). Shirat HaYam and Shirat Haazinu are printed on wider leaves, fitting with their layout in the Torah scroll.
Four volumes. Shemot: [1], [66]-121; [2], 28 leaves. Vayikra: [1], [122]-163; [2], 24 leaves. Bamidbar: [2], [165]-221; [2], 16 leaves. Devarim: [2], [223]-272, [2]; [3], 277-290; [8] leaves. Approx. 20 cm. High-quality paper. Gilt edges. Good condition. Stains. Original leather bindings, with many gilt decorations, original color endpaper and silver clasps (one clasp damaged and missing fastener). Wear and damage to bindings and spines.
Another edition was published in the same period, without vowels, cantillation marks and chapter numbers.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Tikun Sofrim, in Vavei HaAmudim format, with Or Torah glosses, and English translation and notes. "The... Book of Moses… with the English... Translation... with notes... by Lion Soesmans". London: Lion Soesmans and Co, [1787].
Six-volume set, separate volume for Megillot. Hebrew and English on facing pages.
English divisional title page for Haftarot in each of the five Torah volumes.
Six volumes. Bereshit: [176; 28] leaves. Shemot: [149; 36] leaves. Vayikra: [103; 36] leaves. Bamidbar: [143; 22 leaves]. Devarim: [127; 34] leaves. Five Megillot: [89] leaves. Five Torah volumes: approx. 18 cm. Five Megillot volume: 20.5 cm. Condition of volumes varies. First five volumes in fair-good to fair condition; sixth volume in good condition. Many stains to first five volumes, including large dark stains and dampstains. Wear. Tears and open tears, affecting text in several places. Several leaves detached. Old leather bindings (sixth volume in original decorated binding, different from other volumes). Damage to bindings (some broken and with front or back side detached).
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Five Books of the Torah, with Targumim and commentaries of Rashi, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Baal HaTurim, Tochachat Musar by the Shlah and Totzeot Chaim by R. Chaim of Boskovitz, with Haftarot and Five Megillot. Vienna: Anton Schmidt, 1794.
Fine copy, printed on high-quality paper, with wide margins and original leather bindings.
Some words on title page printed in red ink.
Five volumes. Bereshit: [4], 98, [2] leaves. Shemot: 125 leaves. Vayikra: [1], 64-74 leaves. Bamidbar: 68, 29-35, 15-16 leaves. Devarim: 80, 19-42 leaves. 36.5 cm. Gilt edges. Wide margins. Good condition. Stains. Original leather bindings, with gilt decorations and original color endpaper. Wear and damage to bindings.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Torat Moshe, set of Books of the Torah with German translation and Minchah Chadashah commentary by R. Meir Calvo, edited by R. Wolf Heidenheim. Rödelheim: Wolf Heidenheim, 1818-1821. Five volumes.
The German translation is that of Moses Mendelssohn.
Haftarot and Shabbat prayers added to each volume (with divisional title page).
Lengthy pre-subscriber length at the end of Devarim volume, over [6] leaves.
At the end of Shemot and Bamidbar volume, and at the beginning and end of the Devarim volume, appear original advertisements, printed on blue paper, with comments by R. Wolf Heidenheim's on the edition.
Ownership inscription on endpapers.
Five volumes. Bereshit: [3], 143; 24; 4; 54 leaves. Shemot: [1], 137; 28; 78, [1] (original printed blue wrapper) leaves. Vayikra: [1], 107; 24; 80 leaves. Bamidbar: [1], 134, [1]; 16; 50, [1] (original printed blue wrapper) leaves. Devarim: [1] (original printed blue wrapper), [1], 129; 18; 52, [6] leaves. 16.5-17 cm. Overall good condition. Stains. Light wear to some volumes. Few tears. Bottom of Vayikra title page cut off, not affecting text. Original uniform bindings, with leather spines. Much damage and wear to bindings (open tears to some spines).
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Five-volume set. Torat Emet – Tikun Sofrim, Five Books of the Torah, with Rashi commentary, Haftarot and Western-Ashkenazi rite siddur with yotzrot and piyyutim. Accurate edition. Amsterdam: Van Embden & Co, 1827.
Published by R. Naftali Löwenstamm son of R. Yaakov Moshe, Rabbi of Amsterdam.
Additional engraved half-title in all volumes, depicting Moses and Aaron, the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai and the Temple.
[6] leaves at the end of Bamidbar with names of pre-subscribers. These leaves are not recorded in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book project (the copy in the NLI catalogue has these leaves at the end of Devarim).
[1] leaf at the end of Devarim with errata for all parts.
Five volumes. Bereshit: [1], 7, 91; [1], 15; 32; 10 leaves. Shemot: [2], 86; 20; 32; 28 leaves. Leaf 13 of second sequence bound out of place, after leaf 16. Vayikra: [2], 56; 18; 32; 30 leaves. Bamidbar: [2], 70; 12; 32; 8; [6] leaves. Devarim: [1], 66; 11; 32; 9, [1] leaves. Approx. 18-19 cm. Overall good condition. Stains, including dampstains in several places. Marginal tears to several leaves. Close trimming, slightly affecting text of title page of Vayikra. New bindings (uniform).
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Psalterium Sextuplex, Hebraeum, cum tribus latinis videlicet, Divi Hieronymi, R. P. Sanctis Pagnini & Felicis Pratensis [Book of Tehillim, Hebrew text with five translations]. Lyon (France): Sebastian Gryphius, 1530.
First Hebrew Book of Tehillim printed in France.
This is Part I of the book, which contains the entire Hebrew text of Tehillim accompanied by three Latin translations of Hieronymo, Pagnino and Pratensis, printed in four columns. Part II (with a separate inner title page), with the Vulgate translation and the Septuagint (Greek), is lacking.
The book opens with an index of the Latin names of the chapters (according to the order of the Latin alphabet).
A fine printer's device appears in the center of the title page.
Handwritten Latin inscriptions to title page and final endpaper.
[200] leaves. Lacking [160] leaves of Part II. 18 cm. Some browned leaves. Fair-good condition, beginning leaves in fair condition. Stains, including dark stains to several leaves. Wear. Worming and open tears (extensive worming to title page), slightly affecting text. Early leather binding with embossed decorations, damaged and slightly detached, with extensive worming and open tears.
Listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book according to a copy found in the Palatine Library in Parma. The book is not recorded in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, nor in the NLI catalogue.
Darlow & Moule, 1415
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
Tehillim, "with Shimush and intention of the psalms" (according to the esoteric and simple methods), prayers by the Chida and more. Pisa (Italy): Shmuel Molcho, 1816.
Copy with early leather binding and original silver clasp in filigree.
Includes prayer for livelihood, for the sick, a prayer to be recited before and after Tehillim and more. Leaves 1-49: "Shimush Tehillim" [Segulot for chapters of Tehillim].
48 (leaf 49 bound at the end off the volume), 172, [4], 13, [2] leaves. 7.5 cm. Gilt edges (somewhat faded). Overall good condition. Stains, including some dampstains. Light wear. Early leather binding, with spine restored. Original silver clasp.
Provenance: Kestenbaum & Company, Arthur A. Marx collection, New York, June 2021, no. 66.
Stamp on title page: "A book of Avraham Marx".
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.