Sixth Biblia Rabbinica, edited by J. Buxtorf the Elder, Basle: Ludwig König, 1618-1619

1062 leaves (16 3/4 x 11 in.; 420 x 280 mm). Two volumes. FOLIATION: [6],1-228, 1-36 [1], 234-441 [1] [1], 442-946, 1-7 [1], 1-67 [1]. Five engraved architectural title pages (including the scarce Haftarot); Vol I: Pentateuch, Haftarot, Former Prophets; Vol II: Latter Prophets, Writings, Jerusalem Targum, Masorah. Lightly soiled and stained, occasional browning and dampstaining; trace worming. Contemporary calf roll-tooled in blind over beveled wooden boards, brass bosses engraved with fleur-de-lys and initials KD, engraved brass clasps, the spines in seven compartments with raised bands, edges stained red; boards extensively but sympathetically restored, lacking five of sixteen corner bosses and one of four central bosses, ties perished.

Vinograd, Basle 248; Prijs, Basle 219 and 272A; Darlow and Moule 5120.

Using Daniel Bomberg's Third Rabbinic Bible (Venice:1546-48) as his point of departure, Johann Buxtorf the Elder employed the services of a Jewish editor/printer, Abraham Braunschweig, who relocated to Basel in 1617, expressly to work on this edition. Braunschweig enumerates the improvements and additions wrought in this edition (f.696r), notably the inclusion of certain commentaries absent from the Venetian editions. This copy features an additional fifth title page for the Haftarot, in addition to the four found in most copies. Also at the end of volume two of this copy is Buxtorf 's Hebrew introduction to biblical cantillation (Sha'ar ha-Neginot) and an alphabetical acrostic poem composed by Braunschweig and the type-setter, Elijah ben Judah of Hanau, praising not only Buxtorf, but also the Jewish printshop workers, listing them by name.