Bidspirit auction | One of the most beautiful

One of the most beautiful Chumash editions ever produced! Five Chumashim “Tikkun Sofrim” – Amsterdam, 1726 * Five Chumashim with haftaros, in six volumes. A magnificent and completely intact copy, including all title pages and all folded leaves. The leaves are trimmed in gilt, with a delicate embossed pattern along the gilded edges. Each volume opens with a copper-engraved illustrated title page depicting scenes from the Torah, and figures of angels carrying the ‘Crown of Torah.’ These spectacular title pages are the work of the famous French artist Bernhard Picart (1673-1733), one of the greatest engravers and book illustrators in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. His art was widely acclaimed and his copperplate engravings are masterpieces of Jewish art. On the bottom corner of the title page is his printed signature and date (1725). This special issue contains all seven title pages: five illustrated title pages, one for each Chumash; a standard general title page at the front of the volume; and an illustrated title page for the haftaros (the haftaros feature a different engraving). In most copies, only a single illustrated title page appears, followed by a regular title page, without the illustrated title pages for the remaining Chumashim. This deluxe edition was printed in the famed Amsterdam style by three dignitaries and philanthropists of Amsterdam’s Sephardic community, whose names are recorded on the first title page. The drawings of Moshe, Shmuel, and Dovid on the title page allude to the names of the philanthropists who contributed to the publishing of this Chumash. This is one of the most important editions of Tikkun Sofrim. Rabbi Solomon Ayllon, Rav of the Sephardic community in Amsterdam, writes in his approbation in praise of this edition: “The writing is magnificent, with exceptionally beautiful letters of the highest standard, and on new, gleaming white paper.” Indeed, even today — exactly three hundred years after its printing —the ink remains strikingly black and the paper is fine and clean. Amsterdam, 1726. A thick volume containing a total of over 460 leaves. [10], 81; [1], [82]–149; [1], [150]–190; [1], [197]–267; [1], [268]–327; [1], [328]–446, [4] leaves. 16, [1] pages. The last 16 pages are in Portuguese, with a separate title page: “Eleh Mo'adei Hashem Mikra’ei Kodesh, ” of which pages [3–8] are folded pages of charts. Size : 17.7 cm. Condition: Good; one booklet partially detached. A small corner missing from one title page. New, elegant leather binding. Matching cloth case. Provenance : William Gross Collection, Tel Aviv.