Auction 94 Rare & Excellent Hebrew Printed Books: From the Library of Arthur A. Marx
Jun 17, 2021
The Brooklyn Navy Yard, 141 Flushing Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205, United States

Post-Auction Report: Sale 94, June 17, 2021


    Kestenbaum & Company was privileged to again offer an auction comprising of premier Hebrew printed books. As it comprised of an especially remarkable single-owner collection of Hebrew printed books, this sale garnered high levels of interest and activity from hundreds of participants and spectators.

 Interest was spread across all categories of the literary categories on offer.


    In Biblical works, the beloved First Edition commentary to the Pentateuch, Kli Yakar, brought in $6,000 (Lot 140), beating its initial estimate of $3,000-4,000. A Zhitomir edition of Psalms garnered $7,500 (Lot 460) and the Vilna Gaon’s commentary to Mishlei fetched $7,500 (Lot 119). Midrashic works fared just as well, with a First Edition Mechilta realizing $12,000 (Lot 349) and a Second Edition Sifra- Torath Kohanim accomplishing $5,500 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,500 (Lot 353).


    Medieval Pietistic compositions proved exceedingly popular in this sale. The First Edition of Rabbeinu Yonah’s Sha’arei Teshuvah was hammered in at $40,000 (Lot 168) while the First Edition of Sepher HaChassidim achieved $16,000, against its estimate of $4,000-6,000 (Lot 226). The First Edition of Orchoth Tzaddikim sold for $6,500 (Lot 386) and two copies of Chovoth HaLevavoth both sold for more than twice their estimates (Lot 42 and Lot 43) testifying to the notable interest in this field.


    Liturgical works also fared well. An immaculate Basle prayerbook dating to 1579 brought in $50,000 (Lot 261) and a miniature set of Festival Prayers printed in Jerusalem fetched $11,000 (Lot 306). Perhaps the most impressive lot in the sale, the First Edition incunable of Abudarham, printed in Lisbon, 1489, was hammered in at $90,000 (Lot 7). Finally, a Selichoth printed at Slavita garnered $9,500- nine times more than its original estimate of $1,000-1,500 (Lot 301).


    Competitive bidding was also seen for classic Halakhic texts. The Bomberg Edition of Alfasi’s Rif- Sepher Halachoth sold for $34,000 (Lot 14) while Maimonides’ Mishnah Torah, printed with Joseph Karo’s Keseph Mishnah for the first time, achieved $15,000 (Lot 373). The First Editions of Israel Isserlein’s Terumath Hadeshen and Pesakim U’Kethavim brought in $5,500 (Lot 213). The First Edition of Solomon Luria’s Yam Shel Shlomo to Bava Kama garnered $3,400 (Lot 328) and Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller’s Ma’adnei Yom-Tov fetched $3,600 (Lot 194).


    In Kabbalah, the First Edition of the Zohar accomplished $20,000- five times its initial estimate (Lot 414). Likewise, the First Edition of Moses Cordovero’s Tomer Devorah realized $12,000 (Lot 101) and the esoteric Megaleh Amukoth was hammered in at $9,500 (Lot 425).


    More broadly focused works of Jewish Philosophy saw the First Edition of Shnei Luchot Haberith achieve $10,000 (Lot 195). The entirety of the Maharal of Prague’s First Edition works were snatched up (Lots 317-324), while RaMBaN’s Torat Ha’Adam brought in $13,000 (Lot 374). Both major historiographical texts in this sale were also accounted for- Moses Zacuto’s Sepher Yuchasin was sold for $32,000 (Lot 474) and Joseph Cohen’s Divrei Hayamim garnered $20,000 (Lot 475).


    We look forward to our next sale of Fine Judaica, which will take place in late July 2021. For further information, or any other queries, please contact us at 212-366-1197 or Info@Kestenbaum.net.


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LOT 270:

(LITURGY).
Seder Chamesh Ta’aniyoth [prayers for the five fast days]. Edited by Joshua Sarphati. (Third part ...

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Start price:
$ 800
Estimated price :
$800 - $1,200
Buyer's Premium: 25%
sales tax: 8.875% On lot's price, no sales tax on commission
tags:

(LITURGY).
Seder Chamesh Ta’aniyoth [prayers for the five fast days]. Edited by Joshua Sarphati. (Third part of Seder Tephiloth KeMinhag Sepharad).



Title within woodcut architectural columns.
ff. (1), 442-546. Few light stains. Contemporary gilt-ruled morocco, scuffed. 16mo. Vinograd, Amsterdam 252.
Amsterdam: Joseph Athias 1659


The first Hebrew book issued by Joseph Athias. Aged 23 years when his press began operation, it is unclear whether Joseph Athias learned the printer’s craft prior to settling in Amsterdam. Although no mention is made in the book itself, it is clear from other books produced by Athias in 1659, that Gimpel Mordecai, son of the printer Judah Leib of Posen, was one of Athias’ first assistants and no doubt brought the skills he had leaned at his father’s house to Athias. Athias utilized an innovative printing technique, the “stereotype method, ” whereby each sheet was composed and fixed in iron frames, thus allowing for a larger print run in a relatively short time. See L. Fuks, Hebrew Typography in the Northern Netherlands 1585-1815, Part II (1987) pp. 286-307; A. M. Habermann, Perakim BeToldoth HaMadpisim Ha’Ivri’im (1978) pp. 293-310.

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