Sha’ar HaShamayim [“The Gate of Heaven”: encyclopedic work on natural science, mathematics and astronomy]

AUCTION 51 | Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 at 1:00

Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts Graphic & Ceremonial Art Including: The Alfonso Cassuto Collection of Iberian Books, Part II

Back to Catalogue Download Catalogue

<Previous Lot

/395

Next Lot>

Lot 167

GERSHON BEN SOLOMON OF ARLES

Sha’ar HaShamayim [“The Gate of Heaven”: encyclopedic work on natural science, mathematics and astronomy]

First Edition. Printer’s device in form of Menorah on title (Yaari, Printers’ Marks, no. 14) ff. 64. Some staining, small paper repair on title, censor's signature on final leaf. Recent linen boards. Sm. 4to Vinograd, Venice 329

Venice: Meir Parenzo 1547

Est: $1,200 - $1,500

PRICE REALIZED $1,300

Little is known of the 13th-century author, Gershon ben Solomon of Arles, Provence. His Sha’ar HaShamayim, reflects the unique synthesis of Jewish and secular learning for which Provence was famous. Through the Hebrew translations of Samuel ibn Tibbon and other gifted Provencal scholars, the Jews of Provence had at their disposal the extensive corpus of Aristotelian and Arabic learning. See M. Waxman, History of Jewish Literature, Vol. II, pp. 317-8; Heller, The Sixteenth Century Hebrew Boook, Vol. I, pp. 338-39