![[NIETO, MOSES]. English translation of the daily prayers according to the rite of the Sephardim of England, possibly by Moses, son of David Nieto (d. 1741). N.p., no date [London, c. 1734]. 581 pages, brown and red inks on laid paper, 200 x 158 mm., all pages within a decorative double frame in red ink, some minor browning and staining, the last two quires detached, generally fine condition, the main text in an English round hand of the eighteenth century with elaborate ornamental headings partly executed in red ink, contemporary red morocco elaborately gilt, central gilt lozenge surrounded by various gilt borders, spine in six compartments, gilt-lettered in one, others with repeated gilt ornament, silver clasps, g.e., some wear to joints and edges.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1998/NYE/1998_NYE_08105_0395_000(105157).jpg?w=1)
Details
[NIETO, MOSES]. English translation of the daily prayers according to the rite of the Sephardim of England, possibly by Moses, son of David Nieto (d. 1741). N.p., no date [London, c. 1734]. 581 pages, brown and red inks on laid paper, 200 x 158 mm., all pages within a decorative double frame in red ink, some minor browning and staining, the last two quires detached, generally fine condition, the main text in an English round hand of the eighteenth century with elaborate ornamental headings partly executed in red ink, contemporary red morocco elaborately gilt, central gilt lozenge surrounded by various gilt borders, spine in six compartments, gilt-lettered in one, others with repeated gilt ornament, silver clasps, g.e., some wear to joints and edges.
Provenance
This is the manuscript referred to by Albert M. Hyamson on p. 184 of his The Sephardim of England. A History of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Community 1492-1951 (London 1951). There he deals with the problem of the first translation of the Sephardic Prayerbook into English: 'In that year [1734] Moses Nieto, a son of David Nieto and a brother of his newly appointed successor, applied for permission to publish an English edition of the prayer book. This permission was peremptorily refused. The author, however, ignored the refusal and proceeded with his preparations for publication. Whereupon the Mahamad, acting on the authority of the Ascamot, fined Moses Nieto 10 for printing the book and a further 15 for disobeying the Mahamad, with the further threat that unless he surrendered the manuscript of his work and gave an undertaking not to proceed with the publication he would be expelled from the Community. Furthermore, all Yehidim were warned from the Teba to avoid the book as if it were poisonous and that if anyone read, bought or sold it he would be punished by a fine of five pounds.' Quintessential to our positive identification of the manuscript offered for sale here as the one mentioned by Hyamson is footnote 1 on the same page (184) which reads: 'The manuscript passed later into the possession of David Aaron de Sola and is now the property of his descendant, Mrs. G.H. Mosely.' The manuscript was subsequently shown in the 1956 Anglo-Jewish Art & History Exhibition in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, where it appears in the Illustrated Catalogue on p. 29, No. 129, lent by Mrs. George H. Mosely. There the manuscript is referred to as the 'first surviving English translation of the Daily Prayers.' The manuscript comes with a letter positively identifying our manuscript as the Mosely piece shown in the 1956 exhibition.