Details
An attractive 18th-Century Mohel-manuscript,
with coloured illustrations
Manuscript. Sefer Sod ha-Shem ve-Sharvit ha-Zahav (prescriptions and prayers for the circumcision written in 1680 by David ben Aryeh Leib of Lida (c. 1650-1696), with an abridged commentary).
Hamburg, copied and illuminated by Nethanel ben Aaron ha-Levi Segal, 1768, 13 x 9 cm.
Contents
fol. 1r: titlepage: 'Sefer Sod ha-Shem ve-Sharvit ha-Zahav, collected laws, customs and prayers, pertaining to the circumcision, incorporating the Grace after Meals and the Redemption of the First-born. Written by the young Nethanel, son of the honoured Aaron Levi, of blessed memory, Torah scribe in Hamburg, in the year (5)528 [1768]'.
fol. 1v: blank
fols. 2r-26r: text
fol. 15v: colophon I: 'By the scribe and performer of the Holy Craft, the humble Nethanel, son of Aaron Segal, of blessed memory, Torah scribe'.
fol. 16r: Seder Birkat ha-Mazon
fol. 25r: Dinei Pidyon ha-Ben
fol. 26r: colophon II: 'By the scribe and performer of the Holy Craft, the humble Nethanel, son of the honoured Aaron Segal, Torah scribe; and he wrote it in the year 5528 (1768)'.
fol. 26v: blank
Codicology
26 leaves. Modern lead-pencil foliation. First and last quire only one leaf, second to thirteenth quire one bifolium (two leaves). No catchwords. The last two quires detached, binding cords of some other quires rather weak. Relatively thick parchment, rather thumbed, no distinction between hair and flesh, text within a yellow frame, varying in size from page to page. Text written and partly vocalized in brown ink. Varying number of lines, text occasionally written in two columns. Ruling by hard point on both rectos and versos, according to the scribe's needs, both double and single ruling lines, no prickings preserved. Square semi-cursive and Yiddish 'Otiyyot Amsterdam' in different heights. To prevent the line from being too long the scribe compressed last letters and/or words in a line and frequently abbreviated these words (occasionally allowing himself exceed the left-hand marginal line by a few letters); to fill the line he wrote the first letter of the next word against the left-hand marginal line, if necessary with a space in front, he frequently used dilated letters and he occasionally used a graphic filler in the shape of a point against the left-hand marginal line. On the titlepage we find the name of a former owner: Fayvel N"Sh (Nikolsburg?).
Decoration
Attractive illustrations with very sparkling colours occur on:
fol. 1r: Titlepage. Text written between two twisted pillars, on which two rampant lions holding a shield, closing off the archway. The pillars are decorated with floral designs.
fol. 9r: A circular design (probably a garland), with the opening word 'Katuv' written in its center, surrounded by four foliate designs, executed in the brown text ink and in red water- and body-colour only. 12r: A circumcision-scene, with water-damage, very much in the style of the printed Minhagim booklets, but with minor deviations, such as the figures being dressed in contemporary clothing.
15v: A rampant lion supporting a stylized shield with the scribe's colophon I written in it, with the Levite's pitcher and laver drawn above.
Large illuminated initial words occur on fols. 2r, 10v and 16r. On fol. 3v the scribe added two tasteful floral designs in the blank corners of the written space.
Binding
Bound in somewhat worn elaborately gold-tooled contemporary parchment, lavishly coloured by hand. On both front- and back-cover there is a stylized archway, composed of a balustrade, surmounted by two twisted pillars, surmounted by yet another balustrade, topped by additional abstract and floral designs. Gilt edges. The last leaf of the manuscript once served as a pastedown. The decoration of the binding is probably inspired by the decoration occurring on the titlepage. Contemporary marbled endpapers.
The artist
The work of Nethanel ben Aaron Segal is very much representative of the Hamburg school which during the eighteenth Century produced a great many decorated Hebrew manuscripts. His manuscripts, relatively unknown when compared to those of colleagues like Jacob ben Judah Leib Shammas and Uri Fayvish ben Isaac Segal, may be ranked among the more attractive produced in the Hamburg School, both on account of their fine calligraphy and of their tastefully executed coloured illustrations (while many eighteenth-Century Hebrew manuscripts were executed in black and white). Other examples of his work may be found in the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York (Mic. 3697), and in two facsimiles produced by the Orphan Hospital Ward of Israel, New York: The Tel Aviv Haggadah (1971) and The Moshe Bamberger Haggadah (1972).
See illustrations
with coloured illustrations
Manuscript. Sefer Sod ha-Shem ve-Sharvit ha-Zahav (prescriptions and prayers for the circumcision written in 1680 by David ben Aryeh Leib of Lida (c. 1650-1696), with an abridged commentary).
Hamburg, copied and illuminated by Nethanel ben Aaron ha-Levi Segal, 1768, 13 x 9 cm.
Contents
fol. 1r: titlepage: 'Sefer Sod ha-Shem ve-Sharvit ha-Zahav, collected laws, customs and prayers, pertaining to the circumcision, incorporating the Grace after Meals and the Redemption of the First-born. Written by the young Nethanel, son of the honoured Aaron Levi, of blessed memory, Torah scribe in Hamburg, in the year (5)528 [1768]'.
fol. 1v: blank
fols. 2r-26r: text
fol. 15v: colophon I: 'By the scribe and performer of the Holy Craft, the humble Nethanel, son of Aaron Segal, of blessed memory, Torah scribe'.
fol. 16r: Seder Birkat ha-Mazon
fol. 25r: Dinei Pidyon ha-Ben
fol. 26r: colophon II: 'By the scribe and performer of the Holy Craft, the humble Nethanel, son of the honoured Aaron Segal, Torah scribe; and he wrote it in the year 5528 (1768)'.
fol. 26v: blank
Codicology
26 leaves. Modern lead-pencil foliation. First and last quire only one leaf, second to thirteenth quire one bifolium (two leaves). No catchwords. The last two quires detached, binding cords of some other quires rather weak. Relatively thick parchment, rather thumbed, no distinction between hair and flesh, text within a yellow frame, varying in size from page to page. Text written and partly vocalized in brown ink. Varying number of lines, text occasionally written in two columns. Ruling by hard point on both rectos and versos, according to the scribe's needs, both double and single ruling lines, no prickings preserved. Square semi-cursive and Yiddish 'Otiyyot Amsterdam' in different heights. To prevent the line from being too long the scribe compressed last letters and/or words in a line and frequently abbreviated these words (occasionally allowing himself exceed the left-hand marginal line by a few letters); to fill the line he wrote the first letter of the next word against the left-hand marginal line, if necessary with a space in front, he frequently used dilated letters and he occasionally used a graphic filler in the shape of a point against the left-hand marginal line. On the titlepage we find the name of a former owner: Fayvel N"Sh (Nikolsburg?).
Decoration
Attractive illustrations with very sparkling colours occur on:
fol. 1r: Titlepage. Text written between two twisted pillars, on which two rampant lions holding a shield, closing off the archway. The pillars are decorated with floral designs.
fol. 9r: A circular design (probably a garland), with the opening word 'Katuv' written in its center, surrounded by four foliate designs, executed in the brown text ink and in red water- and body-colour only. 12r: A circumcision-scene, with water-damage, very much in the style of the printed Minhagim booklets, but with minor deviations, such as the figures being dressed in contemporary clothing.
15v: A rampant lion supporting a stylized shield with the scribe's colophon I written in it, with the Levite's pitcher and laver drawn above.
Large illuminated initial words occur on fols. 2r, 10v and 16r. On fol. 3v the scribe added two tasteful floral designs in the blank corners of the written space.
Binding
Bound in somewhat worn elaborately gold-tooled contemporary parchment, lavishly coloured by hand. On both front- and back-cover there is a stylized archway, composed of a balustrade, surmounted by two twisted pillars, surmounted by yet another balustrade, topped by additional abstract and floral designs. Gilt edges. The last leaf of the manuscript once served as a pastedown. The decoration of the binding is probably inspired by the decoration occurring on the titlepage. Contemporary marbled endpapers.
The artist
The work of Nethanel ben Aaron Segal is very much representative of the Hamburg school which during the eighteenth Century produced a great many decorated Hebrew manuscripts. His manuscripts, relatively unknown when compared to those of colleagues like Jacob ben Judah Leib Shammas and Uri Fayvish ben Isaac Segal, may be ranked among the more attractive produced in the Hamburg School, both on account of their fine calligraphy and of their tastefully executed coloured illustrations (while many eighteenth-Century Hebrew manuscripts were executed in black and white). Other examples of his work may be found in the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York (Mic. 3697), and in two facsimiles produced by the Orphan Hospital Ward of Israel, New York: The Tel Aviv Haggadah (1971) and The Moshe Bamberger Haggadah (1972).
See illustrations
Further details
END OF SALE