Hagadah shel Pesach. With commentary by Isaac Abrabanel

AUCTION 35 | Tuesday, November 21st, 2006 at 1:00

Books, Manuscripts, Graphic & Ceremonial Art

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Lot 112

(HAGADAH)

Hagadah shel Pesach. With commentary by Isaac Abrabanel

Text in square Hebrew letters with nikud (vowel points), Abrabanel’s wraparound commentary in Rashi letters, concluding Aschkenazic hymns provided with Judeo-German translations in square Hebrew letters. Additional engraved title depicting large figures of Moses and Aaron beneath six circular vignettes of Biblical themes. Numerous engraved copper-plate illustrations within the text. Complete with FINE FOLDING ENGRAVED HEBREW MAP OF THE HOLY LAND indicating the travels in the Wilderness and the division of the Land among the Tribes of Israel. All accomplished by the proselyte Abram ben Jacob. On titles, several inscriptions of Oppenheim Family: “Zeh Hagadah shayach le-ha-Katzin ha-mephursam R. Wolf Oppenheim” [“This Hagadah belongs to the famous noble Wolf Oppenheim”]; “Modl ben Abraham Oppenheim”; “Issachar ben R. Abraham Oppenheim.” (The celebrated Rabbi of Prague, David ben Abraham Oppenheim (1664-1736), had a brother Simon Wolf Oppenheim. It is possible that “Wolf Oppenheim” and Simon Wolf Oppenheim are one and the same. Abraham, Issachar and Modl may be the latter’s descendants) ff. (1), 26, (1). Paper repair to title, lightly stained in places, lower outer margin f.16 torn away, folding map slightly worn though complete. Original calf with central blind-tooled crest titled in Hebrew. Folio Yudlov 93; Yaari 59; Yerushalmi 59-62

Amsterdam: Asher Anshel & Partners 1695

Est: $10,000 - $15,000

PRICE REALIZED $15,000

The First Illustrated Amsterdam Hagadah. An Attractive Copy, in an Original Binding. This is the first Hagadah (and one of the first Hebrew books) with copper engravings. It also contains a folded map of the Land of Israel that was one of the earliest to contain Hebrew type. “The illustrations most widely copied in illuminated manuscripts . . . and in hundreds of printed editions are those which first appeared in [the 1695, Amsterdam edition]” (See A.J. Karp, From the Ends of the Earth, pp. 78-90, 99-100). It is thus appropriate that this is the first edition of any Hagadah that identifies who the illustrator was - Abraham b. Jacob, a Christian pastor who converted to Judaism. See B. Roth, Printed Illustrated Haggadoth in: Areshet III (1961), pp. 22-25. The Hagadah was intended for both Aschkenazic and Sephardic audiences, witnessed by the fact that it provides both versions of the Grace After Meals (Birkath ha-Mazon), and makes a point of saying “Here conclude the Sephardim; the rest is said by the Aschkenazim” (f.23r.). The “rest” consists of the hymns “Adir Hu,” “Echad Mi Yode’a” and “Chad Gadya,” all provided with Judeo-German translation (“Almechtiger G-ot nun boi Dayn Tempel,” etc.)