Auction 4 · Lot 175

Sepher Hamachberoth

Estimate: $15,000–$18,000
Hammer price: $11,800

Historical auction record. Hammer prices exclude buyer’s premium and taxes.

author

IMMANUEL OF ROME.

printer

Gershom ben Moses Soncino

Place

Brescia

Publication

October 30, 1491

Description

FIRST EDITION. With zodiacal illustrations on ff.48-9 and colophon on f.160r. Marginalia in early hand

references

Vinograd, Brescia 3; Goff Heb-43; Freimann & Marx, Thesaurus A-77

summary

The first book printed of Hebrew poetry. Immanuel of Rome (c.1261-1368), know in Italian as Manoello Giudeo, modeled his literary work on the classic Sephardic poets Solomon ibn Gabirol, Judah Halevi and Judah Al-Harizi. Nevertheless, he also displayed a significant Italian influence. The frivilous and sometime erotic nature of this controversial collection of sonnets, satires, allusions and poems caused it to be censured and even censored for centuries. See EJ, VIII col.296; and M. Carmilly-Weinberger, Censorship and Freedom of Expression, pp.214-7

ff.143 (of 160), 15ff. supplied in an Italian cursive Hebrew hand, lacking two leaves (sig.16:5-6). Occassionally remargined without loss of text, f.94 taped with minimal loss, trimmed with occasional light stains. Later boards over medieval manuscript leaf. 4to

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