Bible in Hebrew

[Part II:] Nevi'im (Prophets). [Naples: Joshua Solomon Soncino, about 1492]



Median folio, printed on vellum (12 5/8 x 8 ¾ in.; 320 x 225 mm). Types 1:153 (sq., voc.), 3:240 (sq., voc.). Metalcut frontispiece border with putti, peacock, and gazelles (Thes A75.5), two metalcut decorative white-on-black word panels (Thes A75.5, 75.4 no. 4), metalcut decorative initial letters (Thes A75.4). Double column, 30 lines + headline, the verso headlines incorporating folio numbers. collation: Part II only (Prophets): 17–27^{8 2810; 29–318; 32–408 416: fols. 127–326 of a full copy, the haftarot are often marked off in manuscript; many leaves with stains, the first leaf with frayed margins and cockling, causing loss and distortion to the frontispiece border, the last leaf also with frayed margins and cockling but no text loss. Twentieth-century black morocco, marbled endleaves, edges plain from earlier binding.}

Offenberg 11; Goff Heb-9; Hain 3028; GW 4199; Steinschneider [1006]; Thes A75; Iakerson 61; BMC XIII 61 (C.49.d.1)

[Part II:] Neviim (Prophets). [Naples: Joshua Solomon Soncino, about 1492] Median folio, printed on vellum (12 5/8 x 8 ¾ in.; 320 x 225 mm). Types 1:153 (sq., voc.), 3:240 (sq., voc.). Metalcut frontispiece border with putti, peacock, and gazelles (Thes A75.5), two metalcut decorative white-on-black word panels (Thes A75.5, 75.4 no. 4), metalcut decorative initial letters (Thes A75.4). Double column, 30 lines + headline, the verso headlines incorporating folio numbers. collation: Part II only (Prophets): 17–278 2810; 29–318; 32–408 416: fols. 127–326 of a full copy, the haftarot are often marked off in manuscript; many leaves with stains, the first leaf with frayed margins and cockling, causing loss and distortion to the frontispiece border, the last leaf also with frayed margins and cockling but no text loss. Twentieth-century black morocco, marbled endleaves, edges plain from earlier binding.
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a very rare incunable and printed on vellum. The second edition of the complete Hebrew Bible, the first having been printed by Joshua Solomon Soncino in Soncino, 22 April 1488 (Offenberg 10). The Naples edition is on a more ambitious scale than its predecessor: a Median rather than Chancery folio, printed to the same number of lines but with a larger text fount and larger type-page area. Whereas only paper copies are known of the Soncino 1488 edition, there was a vellum issue of the Naples edition. Both editions are very rare: of the 1488 edition, the only American copy is at the Morgan Library, with a fragment at Jewish Theological Seminary. Of the present Naples edition, Jewish Theological owns a copy lacking more than 200 leaves, and a second fragent of 56 leaves. Other copies printed on vellum are at the British Library, Bodleian, Cambridge University Library, Royal Library Copenhagen, and the Biblioteca Palatina, Parma. This Naples Bible is one of the handsomest and most carefully designed Hebrew incunables; among its features for ease of consultation is the incorporation of leaf (or opening) numbers in its verso headlines. The decorative materials of the edition (found in this copy on fos. 127r, 141v, 155v, 189v, 229r, 279v, and 306v) are commonly described as woodcuts, but it seems clear that they are metalcuts. It is noteworthy that fol. 20/5r, the end of Judges, was set with full-width lines, to allow Samuel to begin on a full page, 20/5v. Within Samuel, three consecutives pages, 24/1r-v and 24/2r, were also set to full-width lines.