Auction 92 Part 1 Rare and Important Items

Roman Rite Machzor – Two Parts – Venice, 1626 – Original Leather Bindings with Gilt Decorations – Signed by R. David Avraham Chai Vivanti Rabbi of Ancona

Opening: $1,000
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000
Sold for: $3,750
Including buyer's premium

Roman rite machzor, Part I – weekday, Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh prayers, prayers and selichot from Chanukah until Shabbat Nachamu, Passover Haggadah, Pirkei Avot and Azharot; Part II – selichot and prayers for Elul and the Tishrei holidays, selichot for public fasts and other prayers. Venice: Giovanni Caleoni for Pietro, Alvise & Lorenzo Bragadin, 1626. Two parts in two volumes.
Printed based on the Venice 1587 edition, with printed marginal notes (see previous item).
Two leaves with a handwritten poem for shofar blowing were bound between leaves 40-41 of vol. II.
On the title page of vol. II, calligraphic signature of R. Avraham Chai Vivanti (1806-1876; rabbi of Ancona). Other inscriptions on the same leaf: "Yisrael Shlomo Chai". Additional inscriptions in Italian (mentioning Ancona) on the back endpaper of this volume.


Two volumes. Vol. I: 333, [2] leaves. Vol. II: 344 leaves. 14.5-15.5 cm. Gilt edges in vol. II. Vol. I in fair condition, vol. II in good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming, slightly affecting text. Wear to vol. I. Title page and some other leaves in vol. I detached. Tears, including open tears affecting text in several places, repaired in part with paper. Paper repair to title page of vol. I, affecting border. Early leather bindings (non-uniform), with gilt ornaments (owner's initials lettered on front and back board of vol. I: "R. S"; fine gilt ornaments to binding and spine of vol. II, with emblem of priestly hands topped with a crown on front and back boards). Blemishes to bindings (worming to binding of vol. II). Placed in slipcases (non-uniform).


See: A. Piattelli, Bibliografia shel Mahzorim ve-sidurim ke-minhag bene Roma, no. 36.


Provenance of vol. II: Valmadonna Trust Library.

Prayer books
Prayer books