Midrash on the Five Megillot - Pesaro, 1519 - First Edition - Incomplete Copy

Midrash on the Five Megillot, containing Shir HaShirim Rabbati (Midrash Shir HaShirim), Midrash Ruth, Midrash Megillat Esther (Midrash Achashverosh), Midrash Eichah Rabbati and Midrash Kohelet. [Pesaro: Gershom Soncino, 1519]. First edition. Elaborate (woodcut) title border on first page. Fine woodcut ornamental initial words for each of the Five Megillot. Incomplete copy. [98] leaves. Lacking title page and last leaf with colophon. Leaves [97-99] bound after leaf [90]. 27.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, dark stains and wear. Light traces of past dampness. Worming. Tears to first leaf, affecting illustrated border and text. Damage and tears to other leaves. Detached leaves. Old binding, damaged, without spine. This text in this edition is almost identical to that of the Constantinople 1520 edition, which was presumably printed based on the Pesaro edition, which preceded it. However, some wish to prove that the Constantinople edition preceded the Pesaro edition, see: M. B. Lerner, The First Printing of Midrash on Five Megillot, Yad LeHeiman, Anthology of Studies in the Memory of A. M. Habermann, Lod 1984, pp. 289-307.