Masechta Eiruvin

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

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

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Lot 211

(TALMUD, BABYLONIAN).

Masechta Eiruvin

Including commentaries by RaSH”I, Tosaphoth, Piskei Tosaphoth, Asher ben Yechiel and Maimonides’ Perush Hamishnayoth ff. 127. Lacking title and the addendum of 12 leaves containing the commentary of Solomon Luria (MaHaRSHa”L), (the Mehlman copy similarly lacks these leaves). Scattered marginalia, previous owner’s signatures on final leaves. Two manuscript leaves in French at beginning and end. Some staining and mostly marginal worming in the first few leaves. Book-dealers notations with misattribution of edition. Modern boards, rubbed and chipped. Folio Vinograd, Const. 290; Ya’ari, Const. 208; Ginzei Yisrael, Mehlman 151[2]; Steinschnneider 1650; not in Adams; R. N. N. Rabinowitz, Maamar Al Hadfasat Ha- Talmud p. 70-74, 225

Constantinople: Solomon and Joseph Ya’avetz [ca. 1574-1585]

Est: $3,000 - $5,000

PRICE REALIZED $2,500

EXTREMELY RARE. Rabinowitz knew only of Tractate Berachoth of this edition (see Maamar p. 70). Yaari (p.28 n. 15) theorizes the reason for the extreme rarity of this Constantinople edition is due to the unusual method of publication, whereby it was issued in sections (pamphlets) for subscribers and distributed weekly in synagogues, leading to a somewhat ephemeral life-span to the edition. See also M. Heller, Printing the Talmud (1992) p. 317 According to Rabinowitz, Ya’avetz published Talmudic tractates at the time due to "the fires that consumed the city Constantinople...whereupon few volumes of the Talmud survivd." As this Tracate was published without a date, a difference of opinion exists among bibliographers as to the precise date of publication. Steinschneider suggests 1574, Yaari’s estimate is between 1585-1595, Hacker wites that “although it is difficult to establish a precise date, it was definately published before 1593... since we do not have any dated book published by Ya’’avetz after 1585...we can surmise that the [undated] Talmudic tractates were published between 1583 close to 1585...’” (Areshet Vol. V, pp. 491-2)