Auction 88 - Part II - Unique Items and Early Printed Books

Tzror HaMor by Rabbi Avraham Saba – First Edition – Venice, 1522-1523

Opening: $7,500
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000
Sold for: $20,000
Including buyer's premium

Tzror HaMor, commentary on the Torah, following the peshat and kabbalistic approaches, by R. Avraham Saba, a Spanish exile. Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1522-1523. First edition.
The author, R. Avraham Saba (1440-1509), rabbi, preacher and kabbalist at the time of the Spanish expulsion. A disciple of R. Yitzchak de Leon. After the expulsion, he fled to Portugal, and later to Fez, leaving his manuscripts behind. He eventually reached Adrianople, where he rewrote his works. He passed away on a ship on his way to Italy, and was buried in Verona.
This book is the first dated book proofread by the famous proofreader Yaakov son of Chaim ibn Adoniyahu.
Ownership inscriptions on title page. Glosses in Italian script.
[171] leaves. 29.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Minor wear. Worming, affecting text. Open tears to title page, not affecting text (title page mounted on thick paper for reinforcement). Two leaves towards end of book (leaves [164-165]) with extensive worming affecting text, and large marginal open tears (not affecting text), repaired with paper (these leaves were presumably supplied from a different copy). Wax seal on title page. Censorship deletions, with some words scraped off (some words replaced in handwriting). Censor's signatures on final leaf. New leather binding.


PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.


Unique Items and Early Printed Books
Unique Items and Early Printed Books