Auction 40 - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters

Kennicott Bible – Exquisite Facsimile

Opening: $2,000
Sold for: $6,250
Including buyer's premium
The Kennicott Bible. Elaborate facsimile published by Facsimile Editions. Including a commentary volume. London, [1985]. Copy no. 132/500.
A facsimile of an illustrated Spanish manuscript from 1476. The manuscript was commissioned by Don Solomon de Braga twenty years before the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. It was written by Moshe ebn Zabara and illustrated by Yosef ebn Chaim whose style was influenced by Islamic art. The manuscript contains the whole Bible together with the Radak commentary and Sefer HaMichlol. The manuscript is called the Kennicott Bible after Benjamin Kennicot (1718-1783) an English clergyman and Hebraist who acquired the manuscript for the Radcliffe Library in England.
An exceptionally beautiful facsimile which was published after five and a half years of preparation. Printed on thick paper of excellent quality especially produced to reproduce the appearance of parchment on which the original manuscript was written. The gilding of the facsimile illustrations was done by hand, by seven artists who worked continuously for four months. Bound in an exquisite leather binding.
Facsimile: [444] leaves, 30 cm. commentary volume: 97 pp. Very good condition. Both volumes are contained in a fine box, slightly damaged
Bibles and Tehilim
Bibles and Tehilim