Abraham ben Shabthai Hakohen. Kehunath Avraham

AUCTION 27 | Tuesday, February 08th, 2005 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Autographed Letters, Manuscripts, Ceremonial & Graphic Art

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Lot 190

(POETRY)

Abraham ben Shabthai Hakohen. Kehunath Avraham

FIRST EDITION. Six parts in one, each preceded by individual title page (featuring cherubs sounding trumpets). On the first page (before the title page) a cameo PORTRAIT of the author. With a rare engraving, lacking in most copies prior to the section Bnei Ketura (p.53) entitled “Barchu HaShem Kol Tzva’av” - depicting the heavenly bodies, various fish, fowl and animals. A rare copy, complete with all title pages and engravings. Slight staining. Vellum. 4to Vinograd, Venice 1660

Venice: Bragadin 1719

Est: $1,000 - $1,500

PRICE REALIZED $900

A poetical commentary and paraphrase of the Psalms, to which is appended “Benei Keturah,” rhymed verses to Perek Shirah. The author, a native of Zante, one of the Ionian isles of Greece, then part of the Venetian Republic, issued this work with a most uncommon engraved self-portrait. See A. Rubens, A Jewish Iconography (1981), no. 8. According to Cecil Roth, Cohen was probably responsible for the other engravings in the book as well. See also, R. Abraham Hakohen of Zante and the circle of physician-poets in Padua, Ha-Sifrut, 26(5738/1978):115