Ottave Ebraiche, colla Versione Italiana … Francesco III, Duca di Modena … per il Suo Felicissimo Ritorno (Octaves in Hebrew and Italian, in honor of Francesco III, Duke of Modena, celebrating his Felicitous Return), Israel Benjamin Bassani, Venice: Bragadini, 1750

30 leaves (10 x 7 ½ in.; 255 x 190 mm). Printed in Hebrew and Italian on facing pages. Illustrated Italian title page; elaborate engraved headpiece on f.2r; half page decorative vignettes on f. 2v, portrait of Francesco III, f. 3r; initial letters within engraved ornamental vignette on ff. 2v, 3r. COLLATION: A⁴, C⁴, B⁴, D-G⁴, H²= 30 leaves; quire C bound out of place between A and B. Modern half calf; titles gilt, over marbled paper boards.

Vinograd, Venice 1865.

Israel Benjamin ben Isaiah Bassani (1703-1790) was one of the outstanding Italian Jewish poets of his day, whose linguistic abilities permitted him to excel as a composer of both Hebrew and Italian verse. Two of his most well-known works are the two multilingual volumes of poetry dedicated to Francesco III d’Este, Duke of Modena, printed in 1750 (the present lot) and 1753 (see next lot). Aside from his having been an admired and talented poet and the rabbi of Reggio Emilia, Bassani was a student of Moses Hayyim Luzzatto (RaMHaL), who wrote a four act play in honor of Bassani's wedding and who had in turn been the student of Israel Benjamin's father, Isaiah. The younger Bassani's collection of work encompasses several volumes of responsa and sermonic material as well as a treatise on the Jewish calendar. 

This amazing collection of 160 Octaves (80 in Hebrew accompanied by an equal number in Italian) were composed in honor of the Francesco III's return to Modena following the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the War of Austrian Succession, in 1848.