Bidspirit auction | Passover Haggadah – Amsterdam, 1695

Passover Haggadah – Amsterdam, 1695 – First Haggadah with Copper Engravings and Map of Eretz Israel – Variant Title Page - Passover Haggadah, ”with a beautiful commentary and fine illustrations of the signs and wonders G-d did for our ancestors”, with commentary of R. Yitzchak Abarbanel and a map of Eretz Israel. Amsterdam: Asher Anshel son of Eliezer Chazan and Yissachar Ber son of Avraham Eliezer, 1695. Two title pages, the first one illustrated with copper engravings. This Haggadah, illustrated by the artist Avraham HaGer (a German priest from Rhineland who converted to Judaism in Amsterdam), was the first Haggadah to be illustrated with copper engravings, and one of the first Hebrew books to be illustrated with this printing method, which, as the second title page asserts, is infinitely superior to previously used woodcuts. This edition served as a prototype for many subsequent Haggadot, either by inclusion of the map or by imitation of its illustrations (for more information on this Haggadah, see article by Cecil Roth, HaHaggadah HaMetzuyeret ShebiDefus, Areshet, III, 1961, pp. 22-25). Ownership inscription (trimmed) at top of title page. Stamp on title page and last leaf of the old Altona-Hamburg Beit Midrash. [1], 26 leaves + [1] folding leaf. 29.5 cm. Fair condition. Many stains, including dampstains and dark food and wine stains (especially harsh stains to several leaves, covering entire page). Tears and open tears to title page and several other leaves, slightly affecting illustrated title frame and text, repaired with paper filling. Worming, slightly affecting text. New binding. Map in fair-good condition. Stains. Tears and marginal open tears to map, slightly affecting illustrations, repaired with paper filling. New binding. Variant. The first title page was printed in two forms. The bottom half of the title page is the same in both, depicting Moses and Aaron. The upper part of the title pages differs. The more common version has six miniature circles with various Biblical scenes. The present variant has a large illustration of Moses kneeling next to the Burning Bush (a title page of this type later appeared in the Amsterdam 1712 edition). Besides this, there are minor differences in the text on the title page. Otzar HaHaggadot 93.