Hebrew. PENTATEUCH ) Chamishah Chumashei Torah. With Targum Onkelos and commentaries of Rash”i, Ramba”n (entitled Nachmeini in this edition) and ibn Ezra

AUCTION 39 | Thursday, April 03rd, 2008 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters & Graphic Art

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Lot 53
(BIBLE,.

Hebrew. PENTATEUCH ) Chamishah Chumashei Torah. With Targum Onkelos and commentaries of Rash”i, Ramba”n (entitled Nachmeini in this edition) and ibn Ezra

ff. 334 (of 356 of Pentateuch text. Lacking Haphtoroth and Megiloth, ff. 1-11, 13, 15, 22, 260, 262-3, 268, 313b, 316a in facsimile). Slight worming. ff. 12, 14, 16, 314 and many other leaves expertly repaired, silked and/ or partially in facsimile. Scattered marginalia and text in manuscript on blank side of 313b and 316a. Modern gilt morocco within fitted box. Folio Yaari, Const. 95; Mehlman 41; Steinschneider 41 "summae raritatis"

Constantinople: Nahmias Brothers 1522

Est: $8,000 - $10,000
EXTREMELY RARE. The copies in JNUL, JTSLA and the Mehlman copy are all incomplete. On the text of Rash”i in this edition, see I. Sonne, "Le-Bikoreth Ha-Text Shel Peirush Rashi Al Ha-Torah," in HUCA, Vol. XV, p. 46. Sonne states that this edition follows the Sephardic (Spanish-Portuguese) redaction of Rashi's commentary which contains additional midrashic and explanatory material as compared to the German-French and Italian redactions. The printers, the Nahmias Brothers, were exiles from Spain who established their press in 1505. Theirs was the first printing-press beyond Europe’s borders The Ibn Nahmias's (of Constantinople) first printing was the Tur of 1493. There was a whole debate for a while, where Steinschneider and de Rossi said it was 1505, but it has since been conclusively proven (by M. Marx and Offenberg - see his article in Choice of Corals) that the first Constantinople edition was completed in 1493.