Auction 54 · Lot 185

Shulchan Aruch [Code of Jewish Law]

Estimate: $10,000–$12,000
Hammer price: Not recorded

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

author

KARO, JOSEPH.

printer

Giovanni Griffio

Place

Venice

Publication

1567

Description

Second edition. Four parts in one volume. Four title pages. Printers device on titles (Yaari no. 31). Title letters within decorative woodcut border-piece. Marginalia.

references

Vinograd, Venice 552.

summary

A digest of the expansive Beith Yoseph, the Shulchan Aruch (“Prepared Table”) was so named by Karo to indicate that he had prepared the material in a manner ready to be “consumed” immediately. It became the Rabbinic Code par excellence. In 1567, two editions were issued simultaneously; one printed by Giovanni Griffio, and the other at the House of Cavalli. For details regarding these early printings of the Shulchan Aruch, see R. Margolioth, Sinai, Vol. XXXVII (1955), pp. 25-35, and R. Y. Nissim in Sinai, Sepher Yovel (1958), pp. 29-39. The Cavalli edition of the Shulchan Aruch was sold by Kestenbaum & Company, Sale 25, Lot 25.

ff. 61; 57; 34; 71. Few corners, opening and closing leaf with paper repairs, some dampstaining, signatures of censors on final leaf with few passages censored. Modern elaborately blind-tooled morocco. Folio.

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