The Birds Head Haggada of the Bezalel National Art Museum in Jerusalem. Two volumes. Jerusalem: Tarshish Books (printed by Kunstanstalt Max Jaffe, Vienna, Austria), 1965-67. A color facsimile edition, printed on heavy, high-quality paper, of the illuminated Birds' Head Haggadah manuscript (Germany, ca. 1300). Two volumes: facsimile volume (printed in 1965), and an introductory volume edited by Dr. Moshe Spitzer (printed in 1967; English). The colophon of the facsimile volume reads (in English): "Printed in collotype by Kunstanstalt Max Jaffe in Vienna and published in 600 numbered copies as the first publication of the L. A. Mayer Library for Beth David Solomons by Tarshish Books Jerusalem, 1965." This is copy no. 333 in the series. The Birds' Head Haggadah is the earliest illuminated German Haggadah known to have survived as a separate codex, independent of the prayer book. It is distinguished by its extraordinarily unique illustrations of human figures with birds' heads – a most peculiar innovation likely devised by the illustrator as a means of abiding by the biblical prohibition against rendering a graven image: "Thou shalt not make for thyself any graven image, nor any manner of likeness…" (Exodus 20:4). Most of the figures are depicted wearing the so-called "Jewish Hat" (German: "Judenhut, ") the conical head covering Jews in Germany were legally required to wear. The illustrations present various biblical scenes alongside depictions of holiday customs and envisionings of the Redemption. Volume I: [48] ff., [1] colophon leaf. Volume II: 126 pp., [1] f., [31] plates (numbered 129-159), 28 cm. Top edges gilt. Both volumes with vellum spine, gilt. In original matching card slipcases. Good condition. Minor blemishes to bindings and slipcases. Bookplate (Hebrew) to facsimile volume.