One of a Kind: Magnificent Siddur Made by Yisrael Beck Especially for his Daughter

One of a Kind: Magnificent Siddur Made by Yisrael Beck Especially for his Daughter

Siddur Rav Pninim with Tehillim and a commentary in Ivri Teitch. Large edition. Vilna, 1910? Separate title page for Tehillim. Special leather binding, magnificent and ornate, with an imprint of the Beck press's printer's device, and an imprint of the owner's name: "Rivkah Ethel Beck."

The siddur was bound in a magnificent leather cover, especially handmade for Rivkah Ethel Beck, the printer R' Yisrael Beck's beloved daughter. All along the front cover, across the entire width of the binding (!) is the Beck printers' familiar symbol that adorns many of their books - the image of the Western Wall and the Temple Mount and the imprint of the [Hebrew] words "The site of our Holy Temple in Jerusalem." The owner of the siddur's name is imprinted at the top of the binding.

This siddur was printed in 1910, when Rabbi Yisrael Beck was no longer alive. It may be that his son, Rabbi Nissan Beck, was the one who made this binding, or it may be that the original siddur wore out and they wanted to preserve the magnificent cover, so they bound a new siddur inside the same cover. There is evidence for this second theory in that the spine is imprinted with the title of the Korban Minchah siddur, but the siddur bound inside is Rav Pninim.

377, 35, [44] leaf. Lacking the second title page and approximately two leaves in the middle.

The siddur is in fine condition, with light stains and tears; the cover is in fine condition, with light abrasions and tears in the margins.