Bidspirit auction | Miniature Sephardic Prayer Book with

Miniature Sephardic Prayer Book with Tikkunei Shabbat According to the Ari – Venice, 1793–1796 – Magnificent Volume in Its Original Binding - Seder Tefillah according to the custom of the Sephardic communities. Venice, printed by Gad ben Rabbi Yitzchak Foà, 1796. Bound together with: Tikkunei Shabbat Meha-Ari. Venice, 1793. An attractive and beautifully preserved miniature volume containing a Sephardic prayer book together with Tikkunei Shabbat according to the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Ari), printed in separate editions and bound together at an early date in an elegant original decorated leather binding. The prayer book includes the liturgy for weekdays, Sabbaths, festivals, and the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. At its conclusion appears “Seder Keriat Shema She’al HaMitah” (“Bedtime Shema”), described as having been “arranged and received from the holy Ari.” The colophon records the individuals involved in its production, including Matzliach Corinaldi, who supervised the printing, and David Shmuel Abulafia, who set the type. Bound with it is Tikkunei Shabbat Meha-Ari, one of the most popular devotional works printed for Sephardic communities and students of Kabbalah. The title page bears an interesting dedication stating that it was printed “for the merit of the pleasant child Gad, son of Rabbi Yitzchak Foà, may he live long, residing in Constantinople, ” referring to the grandson of the printer Gad ben Yitzchak Foà, who also printed the prayer book in this volume. The tiny format, high-quality printing, and luxurious binding indicate that the volume was intended for personal use and daily carrying. Miniature prayer books of this period, especially those preserved in their original bindings and accompanied by their original cases, are highly sought after by collectors of Hebrew books. Contents: Prayer Book: 224 leaves. Tikkunei Shabbat: 128 leaves. Height: approximately 9 cm. Condition: Very good. Gilt-edged leaves. Original leather binding decorated with gilt tooling. Minor wear to the spine. Preserved with its matching original case (partially lacking). A rare and remarkably attractive miniature prayer book, representing a fine example of the art of Hebrew printing in late eighteenth-century Venice.