Nevi’im Acharonim [Yeshayahu, Yirmiyahu, Yechezkel, Trei Asar] with a commentary by Rabbi David Kimchi – the Rada”k. [Soncino, Yehoshua Shlomo ben Yisrael Nattan Soncino Press]. 1486. First edition.
Printed in two columns, the internal one in block script without vowelization or cantillation; the commentary in ‘Rash”i script.’
The opening words of each sefer are not printed. Their place is left blank to be filled in by hand and with decorations. This copy has these words filled in in most places in a beautiful script.
Members of the Soncino family were among the most important Jewish printers of the 15th and 16th centuries, especially at the inception of printing. Their first press was established in Soncino, Italy around 1482, after which they moved around Italy along with their printing equipment, residing in various cities and continuing their printing work. In the first decade of their activity, the Soncino family became the first to print Talmudic tractates and the first to bring the entire Tana”ch to print. This edition is known to have been the first print of Nevi’im Acharonim, and the first time the Rada”k’s commentary was printed with the text.
Most of the early editions of the Tana”ch were not printed by Jews, hence the special virtue of this rare edition.
Various handwritten notations by several writers. Lengthy notation on the blank page [faded and incomplete] before Sefer Yeshayahu in faded Yemenite script, haftarah markings for various times in the margins of the leaves [some cropped], along with textual corrections and vowelizations. Menasseh Ben Israel’s printer’s device appears on the blank page before Sefer Yechezkel, with the passuk “Truth will grow from the earth.”
Specifications:
[1] Yeshayahu: Leaf signatures 1-11 are 8 leaves (88 leaf). Some of the first page is lacking and professionally restored with a precise reconstruction of the damaged text [the poem at the top of the page is entirely reconstructed].
[2] Yirmiyahu: Leaf signatures 1-7 are 8 leaves, leaf signature 8 is 10 leaves (66 leaf).
[3] Yechezkel: Leaf signatures 1-8 are 8 leaves, leaf signature 9 is 5 leaves [without the blank leaf at the end] (69 leaf).
[4] Trei Asar: Leaf signatures 1-8 are 8 leaves, leaf signature 9 is 6 leaves (70 leaf).
Bibliographic material included.
Stefansky, Sifrei Yesod – Incunabula i12
[293] leaf, 26 cm.
Fine condition. Thick, high-quality paper. The sefer has undergone artistic restoration and most of the leaves are clean and in beautiful condition. Some have stains, parts that lack are professionally reconstructed including reproduction of the text in damaged places. Handwritten notations, isolated censor’s erasures, faded [the writing appears under them].
Magnificent leather binding.