Responsa Tashbetz – Amsterdam, 1738-1739 – Exceptionally Fine Copy with...
Responsa Tashbetz – Amsterdam, 1738-1739 – Exceptionally Fine Copy with Original Decorated "Fish-Skin" Binding – First Edition – Variant with Eight Title Pages
Responsa Tashbetz, three parts, by R. Shimon son of Tzemach Duran. With Responsa Chut HaMeshulash by grandsons of the author. Amsterdam: Naftali Hertz Levi, [1738-1739]. First edition. With eight title pages.
Reputedly, the author, R. Shimon son of Tzemach Duran, merited to have his books beautifully printed and elegantly bound by virtue of his practice to cover his open books with a lavish kerchief (R. Yitzchak Palachi, Yafeh LaLev, III, Yoreh Deah 277:3). Furthermore, it is told that he deeply respected his holy books and would clean them daily with a silk cloth (Sh.Y. Agnon, Sefer Sofer VeSipur, p. 152, related by R. Eliezerov in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch; N. Ben Menachem, Gevilei Sefarim, pp. 11-12, related by R. Zevin in the name of the Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch).
Interestingly, all copies of this book with the original bindings were artistically prepared by hand with fine ornamentation and decoration, with no copy identical to another. Most original bindings were made of fine parchment or a combination of leather and parchment, reminiscent of fish skin.
On the endpaper, signature of Prof. Elia Samuel Artom (author of a commentary on the Tanach).
[12], 91; [1], 69, [1]; [2], 68, [1]; [1], 36; [2], 39-83; [1], 85-101, [1] leaves. 32 cm. Good condition. Stains (many stains to title pages at beginning of volume). Marginal open tear to one leaf, bordering the text. Light worming to back endpapers. Original elaborate parchment binding, with fine color and gilt artistic decorations.
This edition has several known variants, which can be differentiated by the number of title pages. Some copies are known to have only seven or four title pages (see Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, and see: Dan and Gita Yardeni, The "Tashbez" by R. Shimon b. Zemah Duran; Amsterdam, 1739-1742 (Hebrew), Alei Sefer, X, 1982, pp. 119-132).
The present copy contains eight title pages, two for Part I (both dated 1738), one for Part II, two for Part III, and one for each of the three sections of Part IV.
Provenance: collection of R. Prof. Elia Samuel Artom
Bid on this lot
Responsa Tashbetz – Amsterdam, 1738-1739 – Exceptionally Fine Copy with Original Decorated "Fish-Skin" Binding – First Edition – Variant with Eight Title Pages
Responsa Tashbetz, three parts, by R. Shimon son of Tzemach Duran. With Responsa Chut HaMeshulash by grandsons of the author. Amsterdam: Naftali Hertz Levi, [1738-1739]. First edition. With eight title pages.
Reputedly, the author, R. Shimon son of Tzemach Duran, merited to have his books beautifully printed and elegantly bound by virtue of his practice to cover his open books with a lavish kerchief (R. Yitzchak Palachi, Yafeh LaLev, III, Yoreh Deah 277:3). Furthermore, it is told that he deeply respected his holy books and would clean them daily with a silk cloth (Sh.Y. Agnon, Sefer Sofer VeSipur, p. 152, related by R. Eliezerov in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch; N. Ben Menachem, Gevilei Sefarim, pp. 11-12, related by R. Zevin in the name of the Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch).
Interestingly, all copies of this book with the original bindings were artistically prepared by hand with fine ornamentation and decoration, with no copy identical to another. Most original bindings were made of fine parchment or a combination of leather and parchment, reminiscent of fish skin.
On the endpaper, signature of Prof. Elia Samuel Artom (author of a commentary on the Tanach).
[12], 91; [1], 69, [1]; [2], 68, [1]; [1], 36; [2], 39-83; [1], 85-101, [1] leaves. 32 cm. Good condition. Stains (many stains to title pages at beginning of volume). Marginal open tear to one leaf, bordering the text. Light worming to back endpapers. Original elaborate parchment binding, with fine color and gilt artistic decorations.
This edition has several known variants, which can be differentiated by the number of title pages. Some copies are known to have only seven or four title pages (see Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, and see: Dan and Gita Yardeni, The "Tashbez" by R. Shimon b. Zemah Duran; Amsterdam, 1739-1742 (Hebrew), Alei Sefer, X, 1982, pp. 119-132).
The present copy contains eight title pages, two for Part I (both dated 1738), one for Part II, two for Part III, and one for each of the three sections of Part IV.
Provenance: collection of R. Prof. Elia Samuel Artom
