Sepher Hamachberoth

AUCTION 4 |
Tuesday, March 03rd,
1998 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Books, Manuscripts and Works of Art The Property of Various Owners
Lot 175
IMMANUEL OF ROME.
Sepher Hamachberoth
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