Toldot Adam VeChava – Rabbenu Yerucham – Constantinople, 1516 – First Edition – Signatures

Toldot Adam VeChava – Rabbenu Yerucham – Constantinople, 1516 – First Edition – Signatures
Toldot Adam VeChava and Sefer Mesharim – halachot by Rabbenu Yerucham of Provence. [Constantinople, 1516]. First edition.
Colophon on leaf 272 (at the end of Toldot Adam VeChava): "These two parts were completed… in Adar 1516, and printed in Constantinople...". Colophon on final leaf (at the end of Sefer Mesharim): "This book was completed on 15th Av 1516, and was printed in Constantinople, under the rule of our master the king, His Majesty Sultan Selim…".
The title page and colophon feature a lion rampant – printer's device of Yehuda Sasson, who printed books in the press of the Nahmias brothers in Constantinople (see: Yaari, Diglei HaMadpisim HaIvriim, Jerusalem 1944, no. 8; p. 7 and p. 126).
This book was not published as a complete unit, but rather in separate booklets distributed to buyers every Shabbat in the synagogues, as was customary in Constantinople at that time (see: Yaari, HaDfus HaIvri BeKushta, Jerusalem 1967, p. 14 and p. 103, no. 145. A halachic debate arose amongst the Constantinople rabbis who opposed this practice). It is therefore rare to find complete copies.
Signatures and inscriptions on title page, including: "Avraham Lattes" (possibly R. Avraham Lattes Rabbi of Venice); "Moshe Herzfeld" – R. Moshe Herzfeld Rabbi of Szilas-Bolhas (Mezőszilas), disciple of the Chatam Sofer and son-in-law of R. Daniel Prostitz (HaChatam Sofer VeTalmidav, pp. 348-349).
Signatures (in pencil) in several places: "Shlomo Mohr", "Shlomo son of R. Naftali Mohr" – R. Shlomo Mohr-Rosenthal of Pest (Budapest), a highly influential figure in Hungary who was in close contact with the Chatam Sofer on current affairs (Ishim BiTeshuvot HaChatam Sofer, p. 370).
Inscription in Italian script (trimmed) on final leaf, attesting that the book was given by R. Shlomo Nechemiah Montagnana as a collateral.
Several lengthy glosses in Sephardic script, from several writers (some trimmed). Several glosses in Italian script (mostly trimmed).
272, [14]; 122 leaves. 26.5 cm. Overall good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming and some tears, with almost no damage to text (open tear on one leaf, slightly affecting text; minor damage to handwritten gloss on another leaf). Marginal paper repairs to title page and several other leaves. Leaves trimmed with damage to heading in one place. Non-original binding, with tears and damage.