Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Displaying 1 - 12 of 45
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $500
Sold for: $3,000
Including buyer's premium
Sefer HaShorashim, Hebrew roots, by R. David Kimchi (the Radak). Napoli: Yehoshua son of Yisrael Natan Soncino, 1491. Incunabulum.
Incomplete copy, comprising only 58 leaves of a total of 168.
Many handwritten references to margins of leaves and within text.
Incomplete copy. [58] leaves. Collation: iii8 (last leaf only), iv4-6,8, v1-2,7-9, vi-vii8 (both complete gatherings), viii2-7, ix8 (complete gathering), x1,3-6,8, xiii2-5,7, xv2-8. Approx. 29 cm. Fair condition. Many stains, including dampstains. Wear. Tears, including open tears, affecting text (marginal open tears to most leaves, most not affecting text, repaired with paper filling). Worming, affecting text, mostly repaired with paper filling. New leather binding.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $700
Sold for: $2,500
Including buyer's premium
Sefer HaTishbi, Opusculum Recens Hebraicum, lexicon of Hebrew words, by the grammarian R. Eliyahu HaLevi Ashkenazi (R. Eliyahu Bachur). Isny (Germany): Paulus Fagius, 1541. First edition.
Hebrew and Latin on facing pages. The Hebrew text is vocalized. Latin title page and preface. Colophon and printer's device of Paulus Fagius on final page.
Early binding (repaired), contemporaneous with printing.
This copy contains several pages at the beginning of the book, with additional poems in Latin and Hebrew, and a Hebrew title page. These pages do not appear in all copies.
Hebrew ownership inscription and another signature on title page. Other early inscriptions in Latin.
[24], 199, 100-275, 269-271, [5] pages. Mispagination. 22 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains to all leaves. Worming (significant worming in some places), affecting text. Early decorated binding, contemporaneous with printing (repaired with leather), with clasps. Wear and defects to binding (large dark stains).
Provenance: Formerly of the collection of Dr. Israel Mehlman (Ginzei Yisrael), with his handwritten inscriptions.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $500
Sold for: $1,063
Including buyer's premium
Leshon Limudim, grammatical work by R. David ibn Yachya. Constantinople: Eliezer son of Gershom Soncino, 1542.
Despite the statement on the title page that the author's son agreed to print the book "for a second time", the present book is the third edition (previously printed in Constantinople in 1506 and 1520).
Colophon on last leaf: "This magnificent book was completed on 3rd Nisan 1542… Just as G-d granted us the merit to complete it, so may G-d grant us the merit to complete Tehillah LeDavid by the author of this book, and many other books…" (Tehillah LeDavid appears to have never been completed by its author; see: Ben Yaakov, Otzar HaSefarim, p. 616, no. 46).
Ownership inscription on title page: "Came to the possession of the lofty R. Refael Rovigo" – apparently the philanthropist R. Refael Rovigo of Modena, an intimate associate and supporter of the Or HaChaim, a member of the Knesset Yisrael committee in Italy that supported the Or HaChaim's yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Several glosses in Italian script and handwritten corrections. Inscriptions in Italian script on back endpaper (draft of a piyyut).
[45] leaves. 19.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains (dark stains to title page), and traces of former dampness, with mold stains. Tears and open tears, including open tear to center of title page, affecting text on both sides. Worming. Bookplate. Early cardboard binding, with defects (open tear to spine).
On last leaf, signature of censor Luigi da Bologna, dated 1601.
Provenance: Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $500
Sold for: $2,250
Including buyer's premium
Responsa of Rabbeinu Nissim Gerondi, the Ran. Rome: Yitzchak de Lattes, Binyamin d'Arignano and Antonio Blado, 1545-1546. First edition.
First edition of Responsa of the Ran, printed based on the single extant manuscript.
The book includes glosses by the publisher R. Yitzchak de Lattes, some marked with his initials. The second query was found in the manuscript without the corresponding responsum, and R. Yitzchak de Lattes authored his own responsum to answer it.
Colophon on p. 172 playing on the author's name.
33 lines per page, with every tenth line numbered in gematria.
173, [33] pages. 19.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains and somewhat dark stains to title page. Open tears affecting text to several leaves, and open tear to top of title page, repaired with paper filling. Bookplate. Old binding, with leather spine. Wear and defects to binding and spine.
On verso of last leaf, signature of censor Hippolitus Ferrarensis, dated 1601.
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $300
Sold for: $1,125
Including buyer's premium
Tzror HaMor, commentary on the Torah, according to the literal and kabbalistic methods, by R. Avraham Saba, one of the Jews expelled from Spain. Venice: Marco Antonio Giustiniani, Tishrei 1545. Second edition.
Signature on p. 2a: "Chaim son of R. Menachem". At top of this leaf is a trimmed ownership inscription.
Ownership inscription on p. 90a, dated 1758.
A few handwritten corrections. Several censorship expurgations (several lines expunged on p. 4a, with handwritten replacement on margin).
165 leaves. Approx. 28 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of former dampness. Small tears, open tears and wear to margins of title page and other leaves, repaired with paper strips in several places. Bookplates. New binding, with minor defects.
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $800
Sold for: $4,000
Including buyer's premium
Sefer Mitzvot Gadol – Smag, by R. Moshe of Coucy. Venice: Daniel Bomberg, by Cornelio Adelkind, 1547.
On leaf 91, divisional title page for positive commandments.
Ownership inscriptions on title page and pp. 2a, 135a.
Censorship inscriptions.
250, [2], 251-316 leaves. 30.5 cm. Fair condition. Some leaves in middle of book in good-fair condition. Stains. Tears and open tears to title page and other leaves (mainly to first and last leaves), affecting text, repaired with paper filling. Worming in many places, affecting text, partially repaired with paper filling. Close trimming, slightly affecting marginal notes and references. New parchment binding, with leather strip for fastening.
On p. 315b, signature of censor Domenico Gerosolimitano (undated).
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $600
Sold for: $1,188
Including buyer's premium
Commentary of the Ralbag on the Torah, with explanation of meanings and words, with morals deriving from them, by R. Levi son of Gershom, the Ralbag. Venice: Daniel Bomberg by Cornelio Adelkind, 1547.
Colophon on p. 248a, with poem in honor of the author and the printer Cornelio Adelkind.
Ownership inscription on title page: "I purchased this book from my wealth in honor of my Master, so says Shlomo Zamosht" (possibly R. Shlomo Zamosht, a Torah scholar of Frankfurt, son of R. Mendel Zamosht, a dayan of Frankfurt while the Haflaah served as Rabbi of the city).
Gloss on p. 206b.
6, 9-248 leaves. 30.5 cm. Varying condition, fair-good to fair. Many stains, including large dampstains (partially dark). Light wear. Worming, affecting text. Small tears and open tears to margins of title page and other leaves. Bookplate. Old leather binding, with wear and defects (rubbing and many open tears to binding and spine).
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $400
Sold for: $625
Including buyer's premium
Sefer HaShorashim, roots of the Holy Tongue, by R. David Kimchi (the Radak) with explanations by R. Eliyahu Bachur. Venice: Giustiniani, 1546-1548.
The title page is dated Cheshvan 1546, but the printing was only completed in Adar 1548, as stated in R. Eliyahu Bachur's poem at the end of the book.
Trimmed gloss on sides of column 410. On verso of last page, inscriptions in Oriental script.
[2] pages, 5-548 columns, [1] page. 28 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains (some dark). Worming and small open tears to some leaves, affecting text (worming in many places on last leaf, partially repaired with paper to verso). Close trimming, affecting page headers in several places. Bookplate. Old binding with leather spine. Wear and defects to binding and spine.
Inside the front board, store tag of antiquarian J. Kauffmann of Frankfurt.
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $700
Sold for: $1,188
Including buyer's premium
Mirkevet HaMishneh, commentary on the Book of Devarim (Mishneh Torah), by Don Yitzchak Abarbanel. Sabbioneta: Tobias Foa, 1551. First edition.
Illustrated title frame.
Censorship expurgations (many lines deleted on several leaves; some open tears from ink erosion).
Censors' signatures on title page and last leaf.
145, [1] leaves. 30.5 cm. Varying condition; first and last leaves in fair condition, most in good-fair condition. Stains. Light wear. Worming and small open tears, affecting text (mainly to title page and first and last leaves). Bookplate. Early binding (coated with color paper), loose, with defects (without binding).
First Hebrew book printed in Sabbioneta (Italy).
With Tobias Foa's printers' device on final page in a circular frame, next to another printer's device of R. Yosef son of R. Yaakov of Padua, as in the copy recorded in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book (some copies have the printer's device of Tobias Foa only). See: A. Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriyim, Jerusalem 1944, nos. 19, 20-21.
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $400
Sold for: $2,250
Including buyer's premium
Chazut Kashah, on the fundamentals of faith and the attitude to philosophy, by R. Yitzchak Arama – author of Akedat Yitzchak. Sabbioneta: partners for Toviah Foa, 1551. First edition.
Censorship expurgations to several leaves.
The present book represents a heretofore unknown variant – on the last leaf, the printer's device of Yosef Shalit includes the curse "may his name and memory be erased". These words do not appear in other copies we examined, nor in his printer's device as printed in other books. This was probably added during the printing of the book, perhaps by one of the employees of the press, but the motive for invoking such a harsh curse remains unclear (some kind of printers' dispute may have been involved). Next to these printed words, someone added the Biblical imprecation: "a vain curse comes upon the utterer" (this inscription is partially deleted).
38 leaves. 18.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Bottom edges of title page trimmed, slightly affecting illustrated frame. Bookplate. Old binding, with defects (spine torn and partially lacking).
On verso of last leaf,
signature of censor Giovanni Domenico Carretto
, dated 1629.
signature of censor Giovanni Domenico Carretto
, dated 1629.
The present copy contains leaves 31-38 of index, lacking in most copies.
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
![Responsa of R. Meir (Maharam) Rothenburg. Cremona: Vincenzo Conti, 1557. First edition.
108, [15] leaves. 20.5 cm. F](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale105/47.jpg "Responsa Maharam Rothenburg – Cremona, 1557 – First Edition")
![Responsa of R. Meir (Maharam) Rothenburg. Cremona: Vincenzo Conti, 1557. First edition.
108, [15] leaves. 20.5 cm. F](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale105/47_8.jpg "Responsa Maharam Rothenburg – Cremona, 1557 – First Edition")
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $400
Sold for: $1,625
Including buyer's premium
Responsa of R. Meir (Maharam) Rothenburg. Cremona: Vincenzo Conti, 1557. First edition.
108, [15] leaves. 20.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and dark stains to title page and several other leaves. Worming in many places, affecting text. Detached gathering. Bookplate. Wood and leather binding, with gilt decorations. Wear, worming and many defects to binding (open tears to top of spine and to some corners).
On leaf [14], signature of censor Camillo Jaghel, dated 1619.
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value
Auction 105 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Esther Scrolls and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Jan 27, 2026
Opening: $400
Sold for: $1,063
Including buyer's premium
Mekor Chaim, Torah commentary by R. Shmuel Zarza ibn Seneh. Mantua: Meir son of Efraim of Padua and Yaakov son of Naftali HaKohen of Gazzuolo, 1559. Only edition.
Early wood and leather binding (without spine), with remains of clasps and gilt inscriptions, including the letter "M" on front of binding and "S" on back side.
Censorship expurgations in several places. Stamps and censorship inscriptions (dated 1838) to margins of title page. Censor's signature on verso of last page, dated 1601.
130 leaves. Leaves 20-23 misordered. 30 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear. Tears and open tears, to title page and several other leaves, repaired with paper. Bookplate. Early wood and leather binding with remains of clasps. Wear and many defects to binding (binding mostly detached, without spine).
Provenance: Collection of Prof. Jordan S. Penkower.
Category
Early Printed Books – 16th-17th Centuries
Catalogue Value