Koheleth Ya’akov [Kabbalistic homilies to the Book of Ecclesiastes, with text]

AUCTION 11 | Tuesday, November 28th, 2000 at 1:00
Important Hebrew Printed Books and Manuscripts From the Library of the London Beth Din

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Lot 40
GALANTE, MOSES BEN MORDECHAI.

Koheleth Ya’akov [Kabbalistic homilies to the Book of Ecclesiastes, with text]

FIRST EDITION. Title within ornamental cartouche ff.103. Dampstained. Later half-calf, rubbed. Sm.4to Vinograd, Safed 2; Mehlman 643; not in Adams

Safed: Eliezer Aschkenazi 1578

Est: $8,000 - $10,000
PRICE REALIZED $12,000
The second of only six Hebrew books printed in Safed before printing ceased, not to be resumed for some 250 years. All six of these volumes were printed by Aschkenazi over a course of ten years. See A.J. Karp. From the Ends of the Earth: Judaic Treasures of the Library of Congress (1991) p.17-8. The printers apparantly employed the type-face and ornaments utilized by Eliezer b. Isaac of Lublin earlier in the decade, (See Lot 24). The Italian born author migrated to the Holy Land to become a disciple of Joseph Karo and Joseph Cordovero. In 1580 he was appointed President of the Beth Din of Safed. Another copy of this work was sold by Kestenbaum & Company, 23rd June 1998, lot 100