Printed and Illustrated Aleph-Bet Chart – Germany, 18th Century – Only Known Extant Copy

Printed and Illustrated Aleph-Bet Chart – Germany, 18th Century – Only Known Extant Copy

Printed Aleph-Bet chart, with morning blessings and Psalm, and many illustrations. [Germany? Fürth? ca. second half of 18th century].
Chart for instruction of Hebrew. The central panel contains the Hebrew alphabet with various vowels. To the lower-right of the chart, the text of the morning blessings with the verse of Shema are printed, while Psalm 23 is printed to the lower-left of the chart. The text in this chart is surrounded by various illustrations and ornaments, including the twelve zodiac signs; various biblical scenes, such as Akedat Yitzchak and the war between David and Goliath; a man holding a book and a woman carrying a bouquet, both in contemporary attire.
The illustration of the man holding the book appears in a very similar version in a calendar for 5549 (in book format), printed in Fürth in 1788, in the press of Itzek Zürndorf (see: the Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, B.1511).

Particularly rare chart, to the best of our knowledge the only extant copy. We are not aware of any other copies of this chart in institutions.

Approx. 43X35 cm. Fair condition. Many stains. Wear. Open tears, affecting text and illustrations, repaired with paper (leaf professionally restored and mounted on special paper).

Reference: Only on Paper, Six Centuries of Judaica from the Gross Family Collection. Chicago, Columbia College, 2005.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, 128.011.002.