Auction 100 – Important Hebrew Manuscripts and Books from the Victor (Avigdor) Klagsbald Collection
First Bible Printed in Yiddish – Amsterdam, 1676-1679 – Original Parchment Binding
Opening: $700
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500
Sold for: $1,750
Including buyer's premium
"Five Books of the Torah in Yiddish" – Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim (Tanach) translated into Yiddish by R. Yekutiel son of Yitzchak Blitz, with Toaliyot HaRalbag to Torah and Neviim Rishonim by R. Levi son of Gershon (Ralbag). Amsterdam: Uri Phoebus HaLevi, 1676-1679.
Copper-engraved title page at beginning of volume. Five additional divisional title pages: Torah, Megillot, Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Acharonim and Ketuvim. Approbations of the rabbis of the Council of Four Lands, and the Sephardi and Ashkenazi rabbis of Amsterdam. The book begins with leaves of "approbations and privilegium" – special permission granted by the King of Poland for this printing, in Yiddish and in Latin.
Ownership inscriptions partially deleted with ink on endpaper.
[7], 63, [1], 64-75, 77-138, 140-256, [2], 18 leaves. Misfoliation. 31 cm. Some dark leaves. Good condition. Stains. Small marginal tears to several leaves, including small open tear to margin of illustrated title page, slightly affecting illustrated frame. Early ex libris label. Original parchment binding, damaged.
Includes leaf with table of Haftarot and "corrector's apologia", not included in all copies.
Various dates appear on the title pages: 1676, 1678 and 1679. The approbations are dated 1671-1677. Two different editions of the Bible translated into Yiddish were printed concurrently in Amsterdam (see next item), considered to be the first Yiddish Bible editions. For further information regarding the controversy surrounding this printing, see: A.M. Habermann, Perakim BeToldot HaMadpisim HaIvriyim, pp. 300-310.
CB, no. 1177; Zedner, p. 100; Roest, p. 170.
Bible and Tehillim
Bible and Tehillim