Auction 54 · Lot 229
Masechta Shabbath.
- Estimate
- $1,000–$1,500
- Hammer price
- $1,500
Historical auction record. Hammer prices exclude buyer’s premium and taxes.
author
(TALMUD, BABYLONIAN).
printer
J. Froben
Place
Basle
Publication
1581
Description
With commentaries by Rashi, Tosfoth and Rosh. Printer’s device on title.
references
Vinograd, Basle 175.
summary
According to Vinograd the JNUL only has a facsimile copy of this particular Basle Tractate.
Following the wanton destruction in Italy of vast numbers of Hebrew texts - especially Talmud volumes, the Basle humanist-printer Johannes Froben was moved to issue a new edition of the Talmud to compensate for the losses experienced by the learned Jews of Italy. And yet the censor Marco Marino Brixiense and his apostate assistants diligently sought to remove any passages deemed offensive to the Church. Consequently, the potentially scandalizing Tractate Avoda Zara was never issued from the press of Froben.
See R. N. N. Rabinowitz, Ma’amar al Hadpassat HaTalmud pp. 74-79; M. J. Heller, Printing the Talmud, (1992) pp. 241-65.
ff. 160, 28. Browned, stained and closely shaved, previous owners’ marks, small tear on ff. 67, 70, 78 affecting some text. Modern calf. Folio.
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