(Commonly and erroneously attributed to). Yosippon [historical narrative of the Second Temple period]

Estimate: $7,000–$9,000
Hammer price: $10,000

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

author

JOSEPH BEN GORION

printer

Christoph Froschouer

Place

Zürich

Publication

1546

Description

FIRST EDITION with Yiddish translation (printed in Wayber-taytsch type). Prepared by Michael Adam. Replete with many unusual, finely wrought woodcut illustrations. Wide-margined copy.

references

Vinograd, Zurich 1; Vischer, Zuriche Druckschriften, no. C-353; E.C. Rudolphi, Die Buchdrucker-familie Froschauer (1869) no. 330; Deinard, Atikoth Yehudah p. 22 (noting the Sulzberger copy in the JTSAL); St. Cat. Bodl. no. 6033. col. 1551 (“Ed. rarissima”); not in Adams

summary

An exceptionally scarce edition. No copy in the JNUL. Apparantly no complete copy extant “A truly splendid monument of the Yiddish book-printing art. With its richly illustrated woodcuts, it is in general the most beautiful printed work in Old-Yiddish literature.” Zinberg, p. 230. The first Hebrew edition of the Yosippon was published in Mantua by Abraham Conat, c.1475. This pseudo-Josephus was the first secular Hebrew book ever printed

ff. 262 (of 515). Various owners signatures in Aschkenazi hands on upper left corners of various leaves throughout the book. Final leaf in manuscript. Modern boards. Thick 4to

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