Bidspirit auction | BALMES, ABRAHAM DE. Mikneh Avram

BALMES, ABRAHAM DE. Mikneh Avram (Sepher Dikduk) [grammar]. FIRST EDITION.   The Hebrew issue (see below). ff. (157). Signatures on title, some marginal worming affecting few letters, light stains in places. Modern vellum with ties. 4to. Vinograd, Venice 82. Venice, Daniel Bomberg, 1523. Distinguished in many fields, Rabbi Avraham de Balmes (d. 1523) was a translator of scientific and philosophical works from Hebrew into Latin, as well as a lecturer at the University of Padua, where he attained renown as an Aristotelian. He also served as physician to Cardinal Grimani of Venice. Greatly valued by contemporary Christian Hebraists, de Balmes prepared this grammatical study at the urging of the printer Bomberg, with whom a deep friendship was shared.   Mikneh Avram appeared in two issues: with and without a Latin translation, i. e., one for the Jewish market, and the bilingual issue more suited to the needs of Christians. The Hebrew version has a different title-page than the bilingual edition, and the introduction is printed in Rashi letters, whereas the introduction in the bilingual version is printed in square Hebrew letters. The present “Jewish” version is far more scarce, as the Christian-owned editions were far less likely to have been desecrated over ensuing centuries. See D. Amram, The Makers of Hebrew Books in Italy (1963) pp. 169-172.