(HAGADAH).

AUCTION 39 | Thursday, April 03rd, 2008 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters & Graphic Art

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Lot 117

(HAGADAH).

Omzsa Haggáda (Budapest: David Löbl & Son, 1942). Hebrew and Hungarian on facing pages, translated and annotated by Dr. Zoltán Kohn. One of 1000 numbered copies signed. Our copy no. 714. Illustrations in red, yellow and black utilizing images from ancient Egyptian art, borders and other ornamental themes continuing the Egyptian style, designed by Bertalan Göndör. pp.57, (2), 73,(2),61-82,(1). A few light, barely perceptible stains. Original pictorial dust jacket, slightly torn, and maroon crocodilian boards. Folio. [Yudlov 3870; Yaari 2293]. With: return envelope of Omzsa containing bank order payable to Omzsa. * The Kaufmann Haggadah: Facsimile Edition of Ms. 422 of the Kaufmann Collection in the Oriental Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Budapest: Publishing House of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1957). ff. (57). Calf-backed pictorial boards. 4to. With accompanying booklet: Scheiber, Alexander: The Kaufmann Haggadah. pp.29, (3). [Yudlov 4500; Yaari 2464]. * Soncino Hagadah: Facsimile of Hagadah contained in Soncino Machzor of 1486 (Tel-Aviv, 1973). Numbered edition. Our copy no.148. Broad margins. ff.(8). Soft printed wrappers. Folio. Together three editions.

Est: $400 - $600

PRICE REALIZED $400

It is highly ironic that at a time when most of Europe was subjected to Nazi occupation, the Jews of Hungary enjoyed relative stability - this despite, or rather because of, the fact that Hungary was a member of the Fascist Axis. All this changed abruptly in 1944 when Adolph Eichmann arrived in Budapest and began to assiduously apply the Final Solution to Hungarian Jewry. The Hagadah issued by Omzsa (acronym of Országos Magyar Zsidó Segito Akció or the Aid Society of the Jews of Hungary) contains an additional introduction by Dr. Géza (Moses) Ribáry, two historical essays by Dr. Erno Munkácsi, music for the songs, and reproductions of pages from old printed and manuscript Hagadahs. “[An] example of sumptuous bookcraft, executed with loving attention to quality and detail. Considering the time in which [it was] produced, it is also an affecting reminder of the resilience of the Jewish spirit in the midst of historical adversity, and the power of the Haggadah itself to sustain the hopes of Jews for a brighter future.” Yerushalmi 164