Igeret Baalei Chaim – Mantua, 1557 – First Edition

Igeret Baalei Chaim – Mantua, 1557 – First Edition
Igeret Baalei Chaim, fable about animals and people, by R. Kalonymus son of Kalonymus. Mantua: Venturino Ruffinelli, [1557]. First edition.
The book is comprised of five parts, and recounts a fable regarding animals, men, kings and evil spirits, interwoven with ethics and words of wisdom. As R. Kalonymus son of Kalonymus wrote in his foreword to the book, this composition is part of a lengthy literary work in Arabic, which he translated, adapted and edited.
R. Kalonymus son of Kalonymus, a 14th century Jewish French-Italian scholar, a scion of the prominent Kalonymus family. In the framework of his literary work, he translated books of ethics, philosophy and medical literature from Arabic to Hebrew. His renowned book of ethics, Even Bochan, was widely distributed in numerous editions.
A poem composed by R. Avraham ibn Ezra (forming an acrostic of his name), "containing all the topics of this pleasing book", is printed at the end of the book, based on the Arabic original. This poem was omitted from all subsequent editions (apart from the Jerusalem 1949 edition).
This composition was reprinted over the years in many editions, including Yiddish translations.
Initial words and letters within fine woodcut frames.
The name of the printer is mentioned on the colophon leaf at the end of the book: "And the printing was completed on Rosh Chodesh Iyar 1557, here in Mantua in the house of Venturino Ruffinelli, by and on behalf of Yosef son of R. Yaakov of Padua…". The printer's device of Joseph of Padua appears beneath the colophon (see: A. Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriim, p. 12, image no. 19; and p. 132).
A (trimmed) ownership inscription, in Italian script, at the top of the title page: "A gift from the sons of R. Yehuda Norzi[?]". Several other inscriptions on the title page and flyleaf (initials D.B., and others). Censors' signature on final leaf.
[92] leaves. Final leaf blank (this leaf was not recorded in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book). 14.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Light worming. Hole to one leaf, slightly affecting text. Old binding, with damage and worming. Bookplate.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.