Decorated Parchment Manuscript – Order of Circumcision and Mohel Ledger – Hoorn (Netherlands), 1830-1840

Manuscript, order of circumcision and mohel ledger. Hoorn (The Netherlands), 1830-1840.

Parchment manuscript, in black, red and green ink. Square script, vocalized and semi-cursive script. Frames, color-decorated initial words, and various decorations.

On title page – round frame (in green), reading in the center (in red and black): "This is the gate of heaven – sign of the holy covenant". Below this frame, in minute letters, are the names of the mohel and of the scribe: "Belongs to the young mohel Joseph son of the official… R. Yisrael Zeehandelaar, here in Hoorn, 1830"; "The writer, Moshe Falk Segal, scribe, mohel, prayer leader and official of Hoorn".

After the order of circumcision, prayers and blessings, appear circumcision inscriptions, comprising over fifty circumcisions performed by the mohel from Rosh Chodesh Tamuz 1830 to Sivan 1840. The circumcisions were performed in Hoorn, Amsterdam, Alkmaar, Langedike, Lemmer, Purmerend, Noordwijk, Leidschendam, Wassenaar, Leiden, Rijnsburg, Lisse, Naaldwijk, Wateringen and other locations.

[30] written parchment leaves (numbered 2-31), and many other blank parchment leaves. 16 cm. Good condition. Stains. Original leather binding, with gilt decorations.

The Jeselsohn Collection – Zürich (Ms. 58) includes a ledger from another mohel of the same region, documenting circumcisions performed in Hoorn and surrounding communities, at a later time period.

Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.