(Moses ben Gershon Gentili). Malecheth Machsheveth [novellae to the Pentateuch based upon the Natural Sciences]

AUCTION 10 | Tuesday, June 27th, 2000 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts and Works of Art

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Lot 66

CHEFETZ, MOSES

(Moses ben Gershon Gentili). Malecheth Machsheveth [novellae to the Pentateuch based upon the Natural Sciences]

FIRST EDITION. Additional engraved title by Gissepi Valerani depicting Moses bringing forth water from the rock. Engraved fronticepiece portrait of the author (see Rubens 676). Further leaf of astronomical and mathematical diagrams. An attractive wide-margined copy. ff. (11), 98. Light scattered stains, first few and last leaf expertly remargined, otherwise a clean copy. Contemporary vellum boards. Folio Vinograd, Venice 1591; Mehlman 649

Venice: Bragadin 1710

Est: $600 - $900

PRICE REALIZED $2,250

The author, a child prodigy, developed into a fine Rabbinic decisor as well as a scholar familiar with the disciplines of mathematics and the sciences. The engraved frontispiece portrait depicts the author without a head covering as was the custom among the Italian Rabbis. Interestingly, the author’s portrait in the second edition (Koenigsberg, 1814), was altered to include a head-covering, gray hair and the Hebrew title “The Sage” (Ha’gaon), seemingly more becoming of a Rabbi. The portrait in the present edition is rarely found.