This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/25/2024
[JUDAICA]. [BIBLE IN HEBREW]. [Biblia Hebraica Rabbinica]. Sha’ar Bet HaShem ha-Kadmoni [Third Rabbinic Bible]. [Venice: Daniel Bomberg, 1546-48]. Volume 2 and 3 only. (of 4). Folios. [i], [233-441]; [i], [442-685] pp. Both with complete text. With woodcut architectural title-page in each volume, both with elaborate border in the form of a doorway. Both volumes approximately 15 ¾ x 10 ½”. Volume 2 bound in modern black cloth backstrip over black cloth boards, spine tooled and stamped in Hebrew; volume 3 bound in early twentieth-century calf backstrip over plain cloth boards, paper label with ink titles on spine, as well as additional notes (some general wear, soiling, to bindings, volume 3 spine chipped, some gutters overopened or cracked, text leaves with some soiling, wear, wrinkling, edgewear, title-page of volume 2 has the upper quarter neatly trimmed away, both title pages with chips and repairs, volume 3 trimmed a bit close at top margin, a few other scattered leaves with occasional repairs, occasional soiling in text). Still, good examples of these rare volumes. THE SCARCE LARGE FORMAT THIRD RABBINIC (“MIKRAOT GEDOLOT”) HEBREW BIBLES. Volume 2, sometimes known as “First Prophets” consists of the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel 1 and 2, and Kings 1 and 2. Volume 3, sometimes known as “Later Prophets” consists of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These rare volumes printed by the Bomberg Press consists of Hebrew text plus extensive rabbinical commentaries. Daniel Bomberg (ca. 1483-1549) was one of the most important early printers of Hebrew books. Although a Christian, he employed Jewish scholars and Rabbis, and printed the important “Mikraot Gedolot” (rabbinic bible, two volumes of which (the third edition) are the current lot), as well as the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud. He was the first Hebrew printer in Venice, as well as the first non-Christian printer of Hebrew texts.