Title page of Responsa of the Ran. Metz, [1776].
At the top of the title page, a signed ownership inscription: "I purchased it in exchange for… Betzalel R.B." - the signature of R. Betzalel Ronsburg.
R. Betzalel Ronsburg (R.B.; 1762-1820), a leading rabbi of his generation and a Torah scholar of Prague. He was the close disciple of the Noda BiYehuda. In his preface to his book Horah Gaver, R. Betzalel mentions his teacher: "Every single Shabbat… I did not desist from hearing Torah from him" and in his responsa, he terms him "the greatest of the Acharonim". His books include: Horah Gaver on Tractate Horayot (the only book which was published in his lifetime). Many of his compositions and novellae were lost of the years, and in recent time, his composition Chochmat Betzalel - Pitchei Niddah, and his book of responsa were published. His glosses on the Talmud were printed in the Prague edition of the Talmud, and later in the Vilna edition, under the title Hagahot R. B. Ronsburg. His commentary to the Rosh - Sedeh Tzofim, is also printed in the Talmud editions.
[1] leaf. 20.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming to right margin.

Mishneh LaMelech, novellae and commentaries to Mishneh Torah LehaRambam, by R. Yehuda Rosanes. Hamburg, 1790.
On the front endpaper, dedication handwritten by R. Moshe Yehoshua Yehuda Leib (Maharil) Diskin: "Given as a wedding gift to my intelligent, sharp and outstanding disciple, R. Naftali Katz".
Another inscription was added near it (presumably handwritten by R. Naftali Katz, recipient of the book): "Received as a gift from the outstanding Torah scholar, R. Yehoshua Yehuda Leib Diskin".
Other ownership inscriptions on this leaf and on the back endpaper.
R. Moshe Yehoshua Yehuda Leib (the Maharil) Diskin (1817-1898), a leading rabbi of his generation, defender of faithful Judaism, known as "the Saraf of Brisk", for the exceptional levels of fear of G-d he attained. He left his mark on Jerusalem for posterity. In 1844-1877, he served as rabbi of several prominent cities in Lithuania and Belarus: Mezeritch (Mezhirichi), Kovno (Kaunas), Łomża, Shklow and Brisk (Brest). In 1877, he immigrated to Eretz Israel and settled in Jerusalem. There, a group of prominent geniuses gathered around him, and he delivered his brilliant, profound lectures before them. The Ashkenazi rabbi of Jerusalem at that time was R. Shmuel Salant, but the communities of zealots in Jerusalem (natives of Hungary and others), who did not appreciate R. Shmuel Salant's moderate style of leadership, appointed the Maharil Diskin as their rabbi. This situation generated some occasional friction between him and R. Shmuel Salant, who differed from him in his views, temperament and personality. The Maharil Diskin was reputed for his zeal, the battles he waged and the excommunications he issued against anyone who tried to breach the barriers of Torah-true Judaism in Jerusalem at that time, against maskilim, schools and the study of foreign languages. He founded his yeshiva Ohel Moshe in Jerusalem, as well as the famous Diskin orphanage.
The Maharil Diskin was gifted with a brilliant mind and the capacities of a genius, and at the same time was renowned for his exceptional degree of fear of G-d. Reputedly, every Friday night, when he reached the words of the prayer "We shall serve him with fear and awe", his face would go fiery red, and the vein in his forehead would swell and bulge - a sight which inspired fear in the hearts of the spectators, every week anew. Some of his disciples would come every Friday night specially to gaze at his countenance. Even on the last Friday night of his life, less than a day before his passing, as he lay unconscious, his voice was heard whispering these words, and all those present witnessed his face going red and the vein in his forehead swelling and bulging (HaSaraf MiBrisk, pp. 118-121). Many stories of wonders and salvations occurred through him, and his blessings and prayers never went unanswered. His disciple, R. Yaakov Orenstein, wrote: "We saw with our own eyes how many sick people rose from their death bed through his holy prayers" (ibid, p. 467). The leading Torah scholars of his generation venerated him and were in awe of him. R. Eliyahu Chaim Meisel Rabbi of Łódź stated: "He is the leader of the entire Diaspora, and we are all worthless compared to him". The Beit HaLevi once said to his son R. Chaim of Brisk: "I have not yet reached half the fear one should have from him". The Baal HaTechelet, Rebbe of Radzin wrote: "It is known that there is not one person in the entire generation who reaches the ankles of this Tzaddik" (ibid, p. 3).
[2], 20; 63; 89; 34; 71 leaves. Name of book and place of printing in red ink. 37 cm. Fair condition. Stains, dampstains and wear. Tears to several leaves. Tears to front endpaper and title page, affecting text on verso of title page. Binding incomplete and damaged, lacking spine and back cover.
An expert report is enclosed, confirming that the dedication was handwritten by the Maharil Diskin.

Artzot HaShalom, nine homilies on various topics, by R. Meir Leibush - the Malbim. Krotoszyn, [1839]. First edition of the Malbim's homilies.
The last page bears the author's stamp (faded and slightly damaged).
R. Meir Leibush Malbim (=Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel; 1809-1879), a Biblical commentator and leading rabbi of his generation, erudite in both revealed and hidden realms of the Torah (his teacher for Kabbalah was R. Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov). In his youth, he authored the book Artzot HaChaim on Shulchan Aruch, which earned the effusive approbation of the Chatam Sofer and gained him renown as an exceptional Torah scholar.
Wherever he served as rabbi or visited (he served as rabbi of Wreschen, Kempen, Bucharest, Kherson, Łęczyca, Mogilev and Königsberg), he was renowned for the uncompromising battle he waged against modernism, Haskalah and Reform, which elicited much harassment. During his tenure in Bucharest, he fought the Maskilim, who retaliated by contriving a blood libel. This resulted in him being imprisoned and sentenced to death, and only thanks to the intervention of Sir Moses Montefiore was his punishment reduced to expulsion from Romania.
The spread of Haskalah drove him to devote his time and skills to composing a systematic commentary to the Bible, with the goal of clarifying the depth of wisdom which lies in the words of the sages, and proving the veracity of Oral law. Thus came to be his famous commentary to the Bible, which was well-received throughout the Jewish world and reprinted in hundreds of editions.
[4], 44 leaves. 22 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear. Dampstains. Minor worming. Loose leaves and gatherings. Many handwritten inscriptions in the endpapers (signatures and ownership inscriptions of R. Shlomo son of Mordechai of Aniksht, and of other writers). Without binding.