Sefer HaIkarim by Rabbi Yosef Albo – Soncino, 1485 – First Edition

Sefer HaIkarim, Rabbi Yosef Albo. Soncino, [1485]. Printed by Yisrael Nathan Soncino and his sons. First Edition. Incunabula.
First Edition of one of the basic books of Jewish thought. Printed in the early years of Hebrew printing, in the city of Soncino (Italy), in the famous printing press of the family of the first Hebrew printers.
Leaves [56-58] were torn out of this copy by the Christian censor, as is the case in most copies (Pamphlet 8, Leaves 2-4), [see the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book, Record 0109905).
Two colophons at the end of the book. The first features the date of the completion of printing: "It was completed here in Soncino in the country of Lombardy … on the 21st of Tevet 1485…". The second colophon is by the "Disciple, the servant who worked on this book" who signs his name with the famous epitaph (originating from here): "From Zion comes forth Torah and G-d's word from Soncino".
Censor erasures in several places. Several ancient glosses in Italian writing. On Leaf 2 appears the owner's inscription: "My father has given me this Sefer HaIkarim as a gift, Baruch Bennet Lichtenstein" [apparently, Rabbi Baruch Bennet Lichtenstein of Kolomyya, who received the book from his father Rabbi Hillel Av Beit Din of Kolomyya]. Owner's inscriptions and other signatures: Moshe Tirziki, "reached the possession of Yosef Chaim Yichye", "I have bought this with my money… Shmuel M.S.".
[105] leaves. 14 signatures: signatures 1-2 consists of 8 leaves, signature 3 consists of 6 leaves, signatures 4-13 consist of 8 leaves each. Signature 14 consists of 6 leaves. Leaves 2-4 of signature 8 were removed by the censor. 26.5 cm. Most of the leaves are in good condition. Stains. Some leaves are in fair condition, with damages and tears and damages to text as follows: Leaf 1 (with the introduction of the Mechokek) is partially lacking and restored with paper filling. Leaf [2] is torn and restored with paper filling, with damage to text. Leaf [3] has restorations in the lower left corner, with damage to several words. Leaves [4-6], with restoration to lower left corner, without damage to text. The last leaf is restored with glued paper strips, without damage to text. Ancient worn binding.