The importance of the Victor (Avigdor) Klagsbald Collection can hardly be overestimated, charting nearly a millennium of Jewish life across the globe – some one thousand years of religion, culture, literature and art.
Mr. Klagsbald, who passed away 5 years ago, was one of the most prominent collectors of Jewish art in the second half of the 20th century and a noted scholar, who built a collection of exceptional quality, much of which is now being offered for auction.
Each item in the collection was professionally catalogued by Mr. Klagsbald himself, who also added detailed descriptions in neat, cursive French along with enclosed photographs. These descriptions were indexed by subject and kept in organized dossiers, of which our researchers made use while preparing the present catalogue. Many items from the collection were made known to the public throughout the years in books and articles he authored; we select for particular mention Klagsbald's catalogue of Moroccan manuscripts, published in Paris in 1980 – Catalogue des manuscrits marocains de la collection Klagsbald – and his book A l'ombre de Dieu: dix essais sur la symbolique dans l'art juif, published in Belgium in 1997. Mr. Klagsbald was also one of the founders of the Museum of Jewish Art and History (mahJ) in Paris, and authored the catalogue of the Cluny collection now preserved in the museum, which was exhibited in the Israel Museum in 1982.
The present catalogue contains a selection of manuscripts, important printed books in first and rare editions, copies of distinguished ownership and with annotations, and letters and signatures spanning Orient and Occident, all scarce to be found. The two hundred lots featured in the catalogue include early manuscripts such as Sefer HaPeliah scribed in Tripoli (Lebanon), 1497; Moshav Zekenim, scribed in Crotone (Italy), 1473 – formerly Ms. Sassoon 409; Midrash HaGadol, written by the renowned scribe R. David son of Benaiah of Sanaa (Yemen), 1473; and several volumes of halachic rulings from Morocco, including hundreds of autographs and thousands of signatures by Moroccan rabbis from various cities. One of the volumes contains a letter handwritten and signed by R. Chaim ibn Attar, the Or HaChaim (many items in the collection originate from the Abensour collection in Fez).
The parchment manuscripts include decorated and illustrated siddurim such as the Arizal's Tikunei Shabbat, crafted by the scribe and illuminator Meshulam Simmel of Polna in Vienna, 1714, and Haggadot illustrated in the style of the Moravian school. The books with handwritten glosses include Zohar Chadash – the personal copy of kabbalist R. Moshe Zacuto, with his glosses, as well as the signature of the Chida; a manuscript of Sefer HaKavanot compiled by kabbalist R. Natan Nata Hannover, with his signature and many glosses in his hand; and a Pri Etz Chaim manuscript, scribed by R. Moshe of Liuboml, which belonged to R. Avraham Gershon of Kitov, brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov. The catalogue also includes unpublished manuscript works, including one authored by a disciple of the Pnei Yehoshua and R. Yehonatan Eibeshitz, with an original letter of ordination from the latter; and a Chassidic work with original letters of approbation by Rebbe Mordechai Dov of Hornostaipil and his sons.
On the occasion of its 16th anniversary and its 100th catalogue, Kedem Auction House is honored to present the Klagsbald Collection for public auction. We strive – and will continue to strive – to offer our clients rare and important items and to present them in high-quality and accurate catalogues. We have endeavored to uphold this aspiration in the present catalogue as well.
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ЛОТ 16:
Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol Bereshit – Yemen, 1473 – Scribed by Rabbi David son of Rabbi Benaiah, Renowned Scribe ...
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Стартовая цена:
$
6 000
Эстимейт :
$10 000 - $15 000
Комиссия аукционного дома: 25%
НДС: 17%
Только на комиссию
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Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol Bereshit – Yemen, 1473 – Scribed by Rabbi David son of Rabbi Benaiah, Renowned Scribe of Sanaa
R. Yaakov Sapir also mentions Miriam the scribe, daughter of R. Benaiah, who also worked as a copyist: "He also had a daughter who was an expert scribe, and I was shown a manuscript Chumash concluding with the inscription: 'Do not condemn me if you find any errors, as I am a nursing woman, Miriam daughter of Benaiah the scribe' – and it is accurate, with neat, beautiful script" (Even Sapir, ibid.). R. Benaiah himself scribed books ca. 1450-1483, and he passed away ca. 1484, as evidenced by a colophon written by his son the scribe R. Yosef son of Benaiah, where R. Benaiah is mentioned as deceased (Ms. Jerusalem, Benayahu collection, quoted by: M. Riegler, Benaya the Scribe and His Descendants – A Family of Scribes from Yemen, ibid., p. 63).
As stated above, the present volume's colophon mentions him with a blessing for the living. According to Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, R. Benaiah son of Saadiah is "the most renowned scribe in Yemen… His fame is due to the dozens of manuscripts he, his sons and grandsons copied… According to one opinion, he served as head of the Sanaa Beit Din… The vast majority of books they copied are Bibles with Masorah and Machberet HaTijan… His copyings are considered most accurate, and he is viewed as the greatest Masoretic authority. The question of the relation of his Masorah to the Tiberian Masoretic school is greatly contested among scholars… Tradition holds that he and his family copied hundreds of manuscripts, of which dozens have passed down to us…" (Gavra, Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, I, pp. 42-43). See there for a partial list of his known extant manuscripts.
The Hebrew Paleography Project lists some 40 manuscripts from the family of Benaiah, located today in various libraries and collections (M. Riegler, Benaya the Scribe and His Descendants – A Family of Scribes from Yemen, ibid., p. 54).
[281] leaves. Approx. 26.5 cm. Varying condition – good to fair. Stains, wear and tears. Most leaves in good condition. First three leaves contain large open tears, heavily affecting text (repaired with paper). Marginal open tears to other leaves at beginning, middle and end of volume, affecting text in a few places (repaired with paper). Inscriptions. New leather binding.
