Prayers for Women – Illustrated Manuscript on Parchment – Italy, 18th Century

“Prayers and supplications for complacent women to be conducted monthly and weekly on Shabbat”, manuscript on parchment (Castellazzo, Italy), [18th century].
Thin quality-processed parchment. Illustrated title page in ink and color; at center, fine illustration of woman sitting in her home. Caption below illustration: “Written in honor of Ms. Esther Polaisi, village of Castellazzo”. Square Italian writing; instructions in Italian in Latin letters.
Prayers for woman who desires to conceive and give birth in peace. Includes table for counting seven spotless days following menstrual cycle [with heading: “Mitzvah for woman to count seven spotless days”]. Prayers for women to recite prior to immersion in ritual bath, near Mezuzah when leaving home, for period of pregnancy [“prayer to recite daily for nine months after morning prayer and in evening before going to sleep”], and prayer “which should be recited following Amidah prayer from seventh month of pregnancy”. Majority of prayers included in this manuscript unknown and apparently never printed.
Esther Polaisi, for whom the manuscript was written, was apparently wife of prominent philanthropist in community of Castellazzo. Several villages throughout Italy bear the name Castellazzo, most of which are located in northern Italy. Apparently this refers to Castellazzo Bormida in district of Alessandria in Piemonte, where Jews settled from as early as the 15th century.
[10] pages. 16 cm. Good condition. Original leather binding with gold imprint. Slight damage.
Attached is a letter containing professional opinion regarding this manuscript, by Benjamin Richler, director of the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts at the Jewish National and University Library, who mentions a similar manuscript written upon paper (without illustrations) which apparently served as draft for this manuscript.