Prayer Book for Women, with Yiddish Commentary – Elegant Leather and Silver Binding – Presented as a Wedding Gift ...

Prayer Book for Women, with Yiddish Commentary – Elegant Leather and Silver Binding – Presented as a Wedding Gift to the Bride Frumit Segal upon Her Marriage to Yaakov Eltsbacher – Germany, 1770s
Siddur (prayer book) presenting order of prayers for the entire year, with Yiddish commentary. Amsterdam: Moshe ben Abraham Mendes Coutinho, 1705.
This siddur was presented as a gift to the bride, Frumit daughter of Zalman Segal (Levi-Bash) from the town of Neukirchen, on the occasion of her marriage to Yaakov son of Aryeh Leib Eltsbacher of the city of Alsbach in the late 1770s (ca. 1777-1779). The siddur's title page features a woodcut illustrating the three commandments specifically intended for woman, namely hallah, kindling Sabbath and festival candles, and niddah. Elegant, gilt-decorated binding, with ornate gilt silver plaques and corners, and with a pair of gilt silver clasps. The name of the bridegroom is inscribed (Hebrew) on the plaque at center front board: "Yaakov son of […] Arieh Leib […]." The name of the bride is inscribed (Hebrew) on the plaque at center back board: "Frumit daughter of […] Zalman Segal." A handwritten ownership inscription appears on the front flyleaf, opposite the title page: "Yaakov Eltsbacher." On the front and back flyleaves Frumit meticulously documented, in her handwriting, her name, the city where she was born, her husband's name, and the names of her ten children, along with the birthdates of all members of the family. Later, someone else added the dates of passing for most of these family members. Frumit's descendants continued to document births and deaths of family members on the back flyleaves as late as 1878.
[3], 315, [1], 92 ff., 18.5 cm. Gilt edges. Good condition. Minor stains to leaves. Minor worming to some leaves. Minor worming and minor wear to binding boards. Worming, tears and wear to spine. Blemishes to endpapers. Detached ribbon bookmark.