Auction 97 Part 1 The Solomon David Schloss Collection (1815-1911)
Spanish-Language Siddur and Calendar in Elegant Binding with Silver Ornamentation – Amsterdam, 1656
Miniature volume in Spanish including a siddur and pocket calendar, both in Spanish, in a splendid binding with silver buckles. Amsterdam, 17th century.
"Orden de oraciones, de mes con los ayunos del solo y congregacion y Pascuas nuevamente emendaco y anedido" ["Order of the Prayers for the Regular Days of the Week, for Sabbaths, and for Holidays"]. Amsterdam: printed by Iehudah Machabeu on behalf of Eliau y David Uziel Cardoso, 5416 [1656]. Spanish.
The siddur was printed entirely in Spanish, and was specifically intended for Marranos (conversos) and other members of Amsterdam’s Spanish-Jewish community. Rare edition, not in NLI.
Printed along with: "Calendario de las Fiestas que Celebran los Hebreos, En cada un ano… Del a criacion del mundo 5417 hasta 5436" ["Calendar of Holidays and Festivals for the Years 5417-5436 (1656-1676)"]. Amsterdam: Gillis Joosten (edited by Iehudah Machabeu), 1656. Spanish.
The binding is adorned on both sides with silver corner ornaments and with a pair of fancy silver buckles. An additional pair of silver ornaments serve as hinges connecting the front and rear binding to the book’s spine (all silver ornaments gilt).
Siddur: [2], 697, [3], 9 pages. Calendar: [25] pages. Height of binding: 9 cm. Gilt leaf edges, gauffered with a pattern of flowers and birds. Overall good condition. Stains, some with moderate browning. Slight wear to some leaves. Open tears affecting text in several places. Title page and additional leaf detached. Minor blemishes to binding (fracture, slightly open, to top of spine).
Exhibitions:
1. Presumably, London, Exhibition of Jewish Art and Antiquities, Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1906, item no. 1096.
2. Basel, Jewish Museum of Switzerland, JMS 1015.
Provenance:
1. Collection of Solomon David Schloss (1815-1911).
2. Lewis Raphael Castle (1858-1932), son of the above.
3. Peter Castle (1922-2011), grandson of the above.
4. Heirs of the above.
This item appears in the inventory list of the Schloss Collection, dated 1923 (see appendix, pp. 146-148), and is documented in a 1931 collection photograph (see p. 11).