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

AUCTION 14 | Tuesday, November 13th, 2001 at 1:00

Important Hebrew Printed Books and Manuscripts From the Library of the London Beth Din

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Lot 142

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 frontispiece portrait of the Author (see Rubens 676). Further leaf of astronomical and mathematical diagrams. THE ALFRED RUBENS COPY, with order-card to Rubens from the Amsterdam book-dealer Louis Lamm, dated 1935 ff. (11), 98. Dampstained in places, paper repair to engraved title slightly affecting lower corner of image, marginal repairs to leaf of astromonical diagrams. Recent maroon half-morocco over marbled boards. Sm.folio Vinograd, Venice 1591; Mehlman 649

Venice: Bragadin 1710

Est: $1,200 - $1,800

PRICE REALIZED $1,200

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 rare 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 acceptable to the Jews of Central and Eastern Europe