Auction 103 Part 2 Early Printed Books | Sabbateanism and Crypto-Jews of Spain and Portugal | Chassidut and Kabbalah | Books Printed in Slavita and Jerusalem | Letters and Manuscripts

Tehillim in Latin Translation – First Book Printed by Daniel Bomberg – Venice, 1515

Opening: $500
Sold for: $1,500
Including buyer's premium
The Book of Tehillim – Psalterium ex hebreo dilige[n]tissime ad verbu[m] fere tralatu[m] – translated into Latin by Felix Pratensis. [Venice]: Petrus Liechtenstein and Daniel Bomberg, 1515. Latin, with some words in Hebrew on margins.
The first book printed by Daniel Bomberg, prominent 16th-century Venetian printer, who also printed the first complete editions of the Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi and the Rabbinic Bible (Mikraot Gedolot). Printed at Bomberg's initiative and expense at the press of Petrus Liechtenstein, as Bomberg had not yet attained a license to print books.
The translator, Felix Pratensis (d. 1559) was an apostate Jew of Italian origin, who also later cooperated with Bomberg in publishing his first Rabbinic Bible edition in 1517.
Printed in black and red.
Colophon on penultimate leaf.

[1], 64 leaves. Lacking one leaf after title page (with rest of introduction of translator, official prohibition of printing by others, and short poem by Bomberg). Approx. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including large dampstains. Tears. Large open tear to title page, covering approx. half of leaf, heavily affecting text on both sides, repaired with paper filling. Worming in many places (some significant), affecting text, partially repaired with paper filling. New binding.
Early Printed Books – 16th Century
Early Printed Books – 16th Century