Oxford, Bodleian Library (GB)
: Holk. c.1
ISTC No.ib00525520
TitleTorah, Neviim, Ketuvim
Imprint[Naples : Joshua Solomon Soncino, about 1492]
Formatf°
Languageheb
SubjectBible
Periodclassical
Description of Copy
Copy Id02121701
Holding InstitutionOxford, Bodleian Library (GB)
ShelfmarkHolk. c.1
NoteCreated by Rahel Fronda, Alexander Gordin, Marco Bertagna.
Physical DescriptionThere are marginal notes (mostly relating to the masorah) by at least three different hands; one of them writes in fifteenth or sixteenth century Ashkenazi square script. On the recto of the first blank leaf there are also two numbers, likely a price, not easy to apply to any provenance (40,0 towards the top margin; and 16.10, in red, towards the bottom); also a few capitalised letters in Latin alphabet in the centre of the leaf: SOU DE..
The coat of arms illuminated at the beginning of the text looks as part of the original illumination; however we cannot be certain about it, it might have been added later; indeed, the same coat of arms has been painted at the end of the book much later.
Size of leaves305 × 110 mm
Copy FeaturesIncomplete
Copy Features - Note23 leaves missing. Without the index to Haftarot (Bod-inc).
Support material (book)Parchment
SourceBod-inc Heb 23
Provenance
1492 -
1550
Areae-it
Time period1492 - 1550
Provenance TypeCoat of Arms
Method of acquisitionunknown
Decoration NoteWoodcut border on Alef2r (Genesis) is illuminated in gold (initial word and the frames) and colours (red, blue, green and yellow). The same border at the beginning of Joshua (yodzayin1r) is not coloured. There are further illuminated panels in incipits, some of which are incomplete (Leviticus on Zayin72), Chronicles (nun6v); Song of the Songs (tetvav1r,) Ruth (tetvav2v), Lamentations (tetvav4v), Ecclesiastes (tetvav6v), Esther (yodvav2v), Joshua (yodzayin1r), Judges (yodhet7v), Samuel (kaf5v), Kings (kafdalet7v), Isaiah (kaftet1r), Jeremiah (lamedbet1r), Hezekiel (lamedheh7v), Minor Prophets (lamedtet2v), Psalms (membet1r), Proverbs (memheh6r), Job (memvav7v), Daniel (memhet1r), Ezra (memtet1r).
Illustration coloured in by handYes
IlluminationsYes
Ornamental lettersYes
Coat of armsYes
Manuscript notesMasoretic notes (masorah parva) added to the first part of the book by at least three different hands between the early sixteenth and seventeenth century.
Ms. notes (frequency)A few
Location in BookThroughout
Structuring the textYes
CommentsYes
Reading marks (underlining and pointing hands)Yes
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered uncertain
SourceBook in hand
Provenance
1450 -
1550
Areae-it
Time period1450 - 1550
Provenance TypeInscription
Manuscript Notes
Noteתנו ורבנן לעולם יכתוב אדם שמו על ספרו שמא יבוא א אדם ויאמר שלי זה הספר לכן התנתי שמי עליו זה שמי אני יהודה בכר משה ... לכחתי זאת ארבעה ועשרים בעו זה 40 מאלמנת ...
Free translation goes as follows: "The sages commanded every person always to write his name in his book lest someone could perhaps come and say that this book is mine and so I wrote my name in it, I am Judah ben Moses ... I acquired this 24 [books, i.e. the Hebrew Bible] for 40 ducats from the widow ..."
Method of acquisitionPurchase
Manuscript notesManuscript notes in different hands (see above).
Ms. notes (frequency)A few
Location in BookThroughout
SupplementsYes
Structuring the textYes
CommentsYes
Reading marks (underlining and pointing hands)Yes
Price40 ducats
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered uncertain
SourceBook in hand
Provenance
1500 -
1550
Areae-it
Time period1500 - 1550
Provenance TypeManuscript Notes
Method of acquisitionunknown
Manuscript notesMarginal notes in Ashkenazi handwriting mostly to the first part of the book (Pentateuch).
Ms. notes (frequency)A few
Location in BookFirst half
SupplementsYes
CommentsYes
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered uncertain
SourceBook in hand
Provenance
1550 -
1650
Note on provenance placeLocation based mainly on the history of the copy.
Areae-it
Time period1550 - 1650
Provenance TypeInscription
NoteOn the recto of the first blank folio the name of Isaac Farhi is written in Hebrew five times (in different spelling).
Method of acquisitionunknown
Manuscript notesProbably the chapter divisions and the reading marks that appear in the second part of the book were written by the same (or similar) hand.
Ms. notes (frequency)A few
Location in BookParts only
Structuring the textYes
Reading marks (underlining and pointing hands)Yes
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered certain
SourceBook in hand
Provenance
1550 -
1650
Areaew (Possibly German or Italy)
Time period1550 - 1650
Provenance TypeBinding
Method of acquisitionunknown
Binding noteDecoration made by means of concentrical frames of with at least four tools, inlcuding medallions with human profile, double-head eagles, a lion. Gilt corners and clasps very bright, decorated with floral motives. Two clasps on the fore-edge; also a gilt centrepiece ornament and a gilt frame towards the spine.
Binding date16th cent.
Binding typeBoards
Board materialWood
Cover materialLeather
FurnitureYes
Binding statusRebound
Binding Dimensions325 × 225 × 85 mm
TitlingNone
ToolingBlind
EdgesColoured
Writing on edgesNone
GaufferedNo
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered uncertain
SourceBook in hand
Library catalogue
Provenance
1719 -
1953
PlaceHolkham Hall (Geonames ID: 7731711)
Areae-uk
Time period1719 - 1953
Provenance TypeEmblem
Bibliographic Evidence
Shelfmark
Documentary Evidence
Note"The Bible was probably purchased in 1719, together with an unspecified manuscript, and a manuscript of Leonardo da Vinci, from a Mr. Hay, that is Andrew Hay (ex. inf. Laura Nuvoloni, June 2024), by Thomas Coke (1697-1759), 1st Earl of Leicester. The Bodleian acquired it from Holkham Hall, Norfolk in 1953" (see Bod-inc, Heb 23). This information is probably taken from a written note (loose leaf) also bearing the Holkham Hall stamp, where a description of the coat of arms is provided; it also has a reference to a 'codex 735 for date 21st May 1719', as the date of the purchase and the mention of the price for the book and a MS by Leonardo for £26.5.
Method of acquisitionPurchase
Binding noteThe book comes with a wooden box, decorated with the Holkham Hall emblem (ostrich standing on earl's hat with a horse-shoe in his beak) and the name Thomas William Coke. On paste-down of the upper board there is a pasted note written in 19th century English hand referring to the bibliographic details of the book.
Price26.50 £ The price was probably for both the printed book and manuscript by Leonardo.
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered certain
SourceBook in hand
Library catalogue
Documentary source
Provenance
1953 -
Areae-uk
Time period1953 -
Provenance TypeStamp
Bibliographic Evidence
Shelfmark
Method of acquisitionPurchase
StampsBodleian stamps, one dated to 5 Oct 1953 appears on Alef2v; there are other stamps without dates throughout the book.
CertaintyThe recording of this evidence is considered certain
SourceBook in hand
Library catalogue
Other Information
Last Edit2024-06-01 14:13:34