Sepher Hamachberoth

AUCTION 4 | Tuesday, March 03rd, 1998 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Books, Manuscripts and Works of Art The Property of Various Owners

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Lot 175

IMMANUEL OF ROME.

Sepher Hamachberoth

FIRST EDITION. With zodiacal illustrations on ff.48-9 and colophon on f.160r. Marginalia in early hand ff.143 (of 160), 15ff. supplied in an Italian cursive Hebrew hand, lacking two leaves (sig.16:5-6). Occassionally remargined without loss of text, f.94 taped with minimal loss, trimmed with occasional light stains. Later boards over medieval manuscript leaf. 4to

Brescia: Gershom ben Moses Soncino October 30, 1491

Est: $15,000 - $18,000

PRICE REALIZED $11,800

The first book printed of Hebrew poetry. Immanuel of Rome (c.1261-1368), know in Italian as Manoello Giudeo, modeled his literary work on the classic Sephardic poets Solomon ibn Gabirol, Judah Halevi and Judah Al-Harizi. Nevertheless, he also displayed a significant Italian influence. The frivilous and sometime erotic nature of this controversial collection of sonnets, satires, allusions and poems caused it to be censured and even censored for centuries. See EJ, VIII col.296; and M. Carmilly-Weinberger, Censorship and Freedom of Expression, pp.214-7