Responsa Tashbetz – Amsterdam, 1738-1739 – Fine Copy with Original Decorated "Fish-Skin" Binding – First Edition – ...

Responsa Tashbetz – Amsterdam, 1738-1739 – Fine Copy with Original Decorated "Fish-Skin" Binding – First Edition – Variant with Six Title Pages

Responsa Tashbetz, three parts, by R. Shimon son of Tzemach Duran. With Responsa Chut HaMeshulash by grandsons of the author. Amsterdam: Naftali Hertz Levi, [1738-1739]. First edition. With six title pages.

Original unique parchment binding, with artistic gilt decorations of the figures of Moses descending from Mount Sinai with the two tablets in one hand and his staff in another (on the front binding), and King David playing the lyre (on back binding). Notably, all copies of this book with the original bindings were artistically prepared by hand with fine ornamentation and decoration, with no copy identical to another. Most original bindings were made of fine parchment or a combination of leather and parchment, reminiscent of fish skin.

Reputedly, the author, R. Shimon son of Tzemach Duran, merited to have his books beautifully printed and elegantly bound by virtue of his practice to cover his open books with a lavish kerchief (R. Yitzchak Palachi, Yafeh LaLev, III, Yoreh Deah 277: 3). Furthermore, it is told that he deeply respected his holy books and would clean them daily with a silk cloth (Sh.Y. Agnon, Sefer Sofer VeSipur, p. 152, related by R. Eliezerov in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch; N. Ben Menachem, Gevilei Sefarim, pp. 11-12, related by R. Zevin in the name of the Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch).

Strip of paper mounted on title page of Part III with printed dedication: "Donated by… R. Shmuel Chai Refael Chaim Castelli to the Florence Torah school, 1795".

On p. 49a of Part I, deleted ownership inscription. On p. 1b of Part IV, short gloss in Italian script.

[11], 91; [1], 69; [1], 68, [1]; [1], 36; [2], 39-83; [1], 85-101, [1] leaves. Does not contain [1] leaf at end of Part II with list of books by the author (this leaf seems to appear in most copies twice, at the end of Parts II and III, while in the present copy it appears only at the end of Part III). 32 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and open tears to margins of several leaves. Worming, affecting text. Original elaborate parchment binding, with fine color and gilt artistic decorations. Damage and worming to binding (mainly to back side).

This edition has several known variants, which can be differentiated by the number of title pages. Some copies have as many as seven or eight title pages (see Kedem, Auction 59, Lot 88), while other copies have only four original title pages (see Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, and see: Dan and Gita Yardeni, The "Tashbez" by R. Shimon b. Zemah Duran; Amsterdam, 1739-1742, Alei Sefer, X, 1982, pp. 119-132 [Hebrew]).

The present copy contains six title pages: one for Part I, one illustrated title page for Part II, one for Part III, and one for each of the three sections of Part IV.