Meah Berachoth [collected prayers and instructions issued for Marrano refugees]
AUCTION 14 |
Tuesday, November 13th,
2001 at 1:00
Important Hebrew Printed Books and Manuscripts From the Library of the London Beth Din
Lot 112
(BINDING)
Meah Berachoth [collected prayers and instructions issued for Marrano refugees]
Amsterdam: Albertus Magnus 1687
Est: $7,000 - $9,000
An Unusually Handsome, Crisp Copy. In a Fine Silver Binding.
Included in the Meah Berachoth are: Hagadah for Passover, a recipe for Charoseth, instructions for constructing a Mikvah, an index of blessings for the entire year including relevant laws and commentary according to Sephardic rite, a perpetual liturgical calendar, prayers for the sick, prayers for the last rites, and prayers for Martyrs who were burned at the stake by the Spanish Inquisition.
The Meah Berachoth is the only known Hebrew publication by the gentile Albertus Magnus. A publisher, bookseller and bookbinder, he did not have a printing house of his own, though his name appears on several Dutch publications. It is difficult to ascertain who printed the Meah Berachoth for Magnus. Fuks suggests David de Castro Tartas as the most plausible, due to his experience printing other such bilingual works.
Provenance: Swann Galleries, New York, Hebraica & Judaica, 25th June 1991, lot 40