Chullin. With commentary of Rashi and Tosfoth. Edited by R. David ben Elazar Ha-Levi (Pizzighetone)

AUCTION 26 | Monday, November 22nd, 2004 at 1:00

Exceptional Printed Books, Sixty-Five Hebrew Incunabula: The Elkan Nathan Adler-Wineman Family Collection

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Lot 26

(TALMUD, BABYLONIAN

Chullin. With commentary of Rashi and Tosfoth. Edited by R. David ben Elazar Ha-Levi (Pizzighetone)

FIRST EDITION ff. 155 (of 184). Opening several leaves remargined. ff. 99 repaired affecting a few words of text. ff.67-98 each contain one word inscriptions on the upper left hand corners spelling appropiate verses and a previous owner's signature (...”Ani Ha-katan U'zeir she-be-talmidim Yaakov ...'). Some staining. First leaf with celebrated Renaissance border partially supplied in facsimile. Final leaf in facsimile. Modern morocco. Folio Vinograd Soncino 32; Mehlman, Ginzei Yisrael 16 (a fragment of only 27 leaves); Goff 109; Offenberg 126; Tishby 69; Steinschneider p.246, no.1626.1; Thes. A53; Goldstein 42 (listing only one copy in the British Isles - the present, Wineman copy); Wineman Cat. 26. Not in Cambridge University, HUC copy incomplete

Soncino: Joshua Solmon ben Israel Nathan Soncino and / or Gershon ben Moshe Soncino 1489

Est: $40,000 - $50,000

PRICE REALIZED $100,000

The JNUL possesses three smaller fragments. The copies at such varied locations as HUC,Yale University and the Biblioteka Akedemii... in Leningrad are all incomplete. The venerable Alexander Marx, Librarian of the Jewish Theolgical Seminary recorded his delight in 1939 when the library acquired a copy of the Soncino Chullin: “Incunabula editions of Talmudic treatises are of the utmost rarity and complete copies hardly ever occur.” See A. Marx, JTS Register,1939-40, p.68; reprinted in: Bibliographical Studies (1977) p.286 The beautiful Renaissance border here, has been described by Cecil Roth as “one of the lovliest specimens of Italian book production... a splendid white-on-black engraved border... depicting naked and winged putti, who are disporting themselves on an intricate floral background.” (C. Roth, Studies in Books and Booklore (1972) p. 64 - citing Max Sander, Le Livre a Figures Italien)