Siddur in elaborate silver binding. Venice, Italy, 18th century.
Silver, repoussé and engraved (with Venice mark – Lion of St. Mark – with initials of assayer, M·P).
Elaborate binding, decorated identically and symmetrically on both sides with vegetal patterns including acanthus leaves, flowers and fruit, with a central cartouche topped by a crown. The cartouche on the front binding is engraved with an M, and the cartouche on the back binding is engraved with the Levi family coat of arms (a hand pouring a pitcher into a basin), with the letter M below. The combination of the coat of arms and the letter M may indicate that the siddur was given as a wedding gift, with the initial and coat of arms representing the couple's families.
The book: Sephardic-rite siddur, as printed by Shmuel Rodriguez Mendes, brought to press by Yaakov da Silva Mendes. Amsterdam: Gerard Johann Janson, [1771]. Three divisional title pages (for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Festivals) decorated with engravings by A. St. Croos. On final page of Yom Kippur siddur, notice by printer Yaakov da Silva Mendes, followed by a handwritten signature.
[2], 86; [1], 171; [2], 179 leaves + blank leaves bound at end. Printed on thick paper, with gilt and gauffered edges. Overall good condition. Stains and some creases. Book separated and detached in two parts. Original wooden binding boards, with later endpapers.
Height of binding: 18 cm. Width: 14 cm. Thickness: 7 cm. Overall good condition. Old soldering repairs. Minor fractures and warping. Minor fractures and pieces lacking at spine and edges.
