Auction 58 - Rare and Important Items
"Las Excelencias de los Hebreos" - Book by Isaac Cardoso, Physician and Philosopher, Descendant of a Family of Marranos from Portugal - Amsterdam, 1679
Opening: $3,000
Unsold
Las Excelencias de los Hebreos ["The Virtues of the Hebrews"], by Isaac Cardoso. Amsterdam: David de Castro Tartas, 1679. Spanish. First edition.
An important apologetic work on Jewish religion, by physician and philosopher Isaac Cardoso, the descendant of a Portuguese Marrano family.
The work contains two parts: the first describes the virtues and unique characteristics of the Jewish people, discussing, among other things, the Jewish people's identity as the Chosen People and its attributes. The second part debunks anti-Jewish defamations and libels, including a chapter devoted to the widespread blood libel claiming that Jews use the blood of Christian children for ritual purposes. As part of an expanded discussion on the Jewish religion, the author also discusses his personal experience and his choice to live as a Jew.
The author, Isaac (Fernando) Cardoso (1603/4-1683) was born in Portugal to a Marrano family. His brother, Abraham Michael (Miguel) Cardoso, was one of the leading philosophers of the Sabbatean movement. Cardoso studied medicine and philosophy in Salamanca, Spain. After a period working as a physician in Valladolid, he moved to Madrid, where he served as a physician in the court of King Philip IV. For many years he lived outwardly as a Christian, yet when he chose to leave Spain and move to Italy (apparently due to fear of the Inquisition), he began to practice his Judaism openly. Upon reaching Italy, Cardoso settled in the Sephardi Jewish community of Venice. In 1653 he moved to Verona, where he served as the Jewish community's doctor until his death in 1683.
The first title page shows a woodcut with a hand emerging from the sky and gathering flowers, surmounted by an inscription reading "el que me esparsio me recogera" [He who was scattered me will gather me]. The second part has a separate title page, also decorated with a woodcut and inscribed with the words, "Ellos Maldiziran y yo Bendizire" [They shall curse and I shall bless]. At the beginning of the work are dedication pages to Jacob de Pinto, a Dutch Jew of Portuguese descent and a member of one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Amsterdam at the time.
[4] leaves, 331 pp, [1] leaf, 333-431 pp (two columns per page), 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Worming to top part of most of the leaves (with slight damage to text on a number of leaves). Stains and dampstains throughout the book. A number of tears to leaf margins. Some markings in pencil. Ancient vellum binding, slightly distorted, with tears and stains.
An important apologetic work on Jewish religion, by physician and philosopher Isaac Cardoso, the descendant of a Portuguese Marrano family.
The work contains two parts: the first describes the virtues and unique characteristics of the Jewish people, discussing, among other things, the Jewish people's identity as the Chosen People and its attributes. The second part debunks anti-Jewish defamations and libels, including a chapter devoted to the widespread blood libel claiming that Jews use the blood of Christian children for ritual purposes. As part of an expanded discussion on the Jewish religion, the author also discusses his personal experience and his choice to live as a Jew.
The author, Isaac (Fernando) Cardoso (1603/4-1683) was born in Portugal to a Marrano family. His brother, Abraham Michael (Miguel) Cardoso, was one of the leading philosophers of the Sabbatean movement. Cardoso studied medicine and philosophy in Salamanca, Spain. After a period working as a physician in Valladolid, he moved to Madrid, where he served as a physician in the court of King Philip IV. For many years he lived outwardly as a Christian, yet when he chose to leave Spain and move to Italy (apparently due to fear of the Inquisition), he began to practice his Judaism openly. Upon reaching Italy, Cardoso settled in the Sephardi Jewish community of Venice. In 1653 he moved to Verona, where he served as the Jewish community's doctor until his death in 1683.
The first title page shows a woodcut with a hand emerging from the sky and gathering flowers, surmounted by an inscription reading "el que me esparsio me recogera" [He who was scattered me will gather me]. The second part has a separate title page, also decorated with a woodcut and inscribed with the words, "Ellos Maldiziran y yo Bendizire" [They shall curse and I shall bless]. At the beginning of the work are dedication pages to Jacob de Pinto, a Dutch Jew of Portuguese descent and a member of one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Amsterdam at the time.
[4] leaves, 331 pp, [1] leaf, 333-431 pp (two columns per page), 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Worming to top part of most of the leaves (with slight damage to text on a number of leaves). Stains and dampstains throughout the book. A number of tears to leaf margins. Some markings in pencil. Ancient vellum binding, slightly distorted, with tears and stains.