Important Hebrew Printed Books and Manuscripts From the Library of the London Beth Din

AUCTION 14 - NOVEMBER 13TH 2001
Important Hebrew Printed
Books and Manuscripts
From the Library of the London Beth Din
(The Third Portion)
Sold by order of the Honorary Officers
of the United Synagogue.
With Additions :
The Property of Various Owners.
And:
The Batkin Family Collection (Scarsdale, New York). Including: Illustrated Books and Fine Silver Bindings
Together With:
Graphic Art. The Property of Mrs. Ilya Schor.
(With Additions).
The fall sale featured an unusually large collection of books on an extensive range of topics. Included were two Hebrew Incunabula; a large variety of 16th century Hebraic theological texts and other early Hebrew books, most in particularly fine condition, often in contemporaneous binding. In addition the sale boasted a most impressive collection of illustrated Jewish art books of late 19th to early 20th century. A number of 18th and 19th century Italian and Continental silver bound Hebrew prayer books and a large number of Autograph Rabbinic Letters were offered for sale. Also featured were various works of graphic art by Hermann Struck, E. M. Lilien, Max Liebermann, Abel Pann, Ze’ev Raban, Issachar Ber Ryback and Ilya Schor.

Highlights of the sale included:

(LITURGY). Tephilah Ke’phi Minhag Roma [prayers for the entire year]. According to Roman rite. A HANDSOME COPY PRINTED ENTIRELY ON VELLUM. Bologna, Raphael Talmi for the Company of Silk Weavers, 1537.
Sold for $92,000. Lot 251.
BIBLE, PSALMS. Polyglot. Psalterium, Hebreum, Grecum, Arabicum & Chaldeum, cum tribus latinis interpretationibus & glossis. FIRST POLYGLOT BIBLE EDITION. The Second Book Printed in Arabic. THE ONLY BOOK PRINTED AT GENOA IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. AN EARLY REFERENCE TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. Edited and with Latin commentary by Agostino Giustiniani. (Chaldee). (Genoa), Petrus Paulus Porro for Nicolo Giustiniani Paulo, 1516.
Sold for $19,550. Lot 68.
BIBLE, PENTATEUCH AND HAPHTAROTH. In Hebrew. Tikun Sopherim. - Quinque Libri Mosis. A particularly resplendent HAND-COLORED copy in a fine contemporary Dutch binding. Bound for the philanthropic shipping magnate Daniel de la Peña, in 1727. Amsterdam, for Samuel Rodrigues Mendes, Moses Sarfati and David Gomes da Silva, 1726.
Sold for $19,550. Lot 89.
Hagadah shel Pesach. With commentary by Isaac Abrabanel. The First hagadah illustrated with copperplate engravings FINE FOLDING ENGRAVED HEBREW MAP OF THE HOLY LAND . All accomplished by the proselyte Abraham ben Jacob. Amsterdam, Asher Anshel & Partners, 1695.
Sold for $21,850. Lot 188.
(AMERICAN JUDAICA). Monis, Judah. Dickdook Leshon Gnebreet. A Grammar of the Hebrew Tongue. "The First Hebrew Grammar Printed in America." Evans 3931. The First Book Printed by a Jew in North America. FIRST EDITION. Boston, Jonas Green, 1735.
Sold for $9,200. Lot 17.
SEPHER YETZIRAH. [on cosmogony and thaumaturgy]. Anonymous (Attributed to Abraham the Patriarch). FIRST EDITION. Numerous spherical charts and Kabbalistic diagrams. Mantua, Jacob Ben Naphtali Hacohen, 1562.
Sold for $42,550. Lot 324.