Marriage Contract of a groom named “Abraham” (Fragment)

AUCTION 24 | Tuesday, June 29th, 2004 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Ceremonial Art and Holy Land Maps Including Ceremonial Art from the Collection of Daniel M. Friedenberg

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Lot 244
(KETHUBAH)

Marriage Contract of a groom named “Abraham” (Fragment)

Brown ink on vellum. Large Sephardic script within decorative border. 95 X 100 mm. (Oblong). Framed

Northern Spain: Early 14th century

Est: $4,000 - $6,000
The last line of the fragment, BePherush belo Ta’arovet (“explicitly without any admixtures”) is a formula unique in the annals of the Ketubah. To the best of our knowledge, no such formula occurs elsewhere. This is undoubtedly one of the earliest Spanish marriage contracts extant (if only in fragmentary form). In the archives of Palma, Majorca, there is a ketubah written “be-i mayorka” (on the isle of Majorca) in the 1300s.