Orden de las Oraciones Cotidianas (Order of Prayers); Los Cincos Libros de la Ley Divina (Pentateuch), Amsterdam: Solomon Proops, 1717-1718

2 books bound in one volume, 8vo (6 7/8 x 4¼ in.; 175 x 118 mm). 282 leaves; 265 leaves. Titles within engraved borders of biblical scenes, a few decorative woodcut initials; some marginal spotting on title, very occasional spots on a few leaves. Two additional title pages belonging to other works pasted in on front free endpapers and bound in before the first work. Tortoise-shell with brass hinges, clasps and catches, gilt and gauffered edges; head and foot of spine chipped, bookplate removed from final pastedown, shelfmark label on final endpaper.

2 books bound in one volume, 8vo (6 7/8 x 4 ¼ in.; 175 x 118 mm). 282 leaves; 265 leaves. Titles within engraved borders of biblical scenes, a few decorative woodcut initials; some marginal spotting on title, very occasional spots on a few leaves. Two additional title pages belonging to other works pasted in on front free endpapers and bound in before the first work. Tortoise-shell with brass hinges, clasps and catches, gilt and gauffered edges; head and foot of spine chipped, bookplate removed from final pastedown, shelfmark label on final endpaper.
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The beautifully engraved title page of this prayer book emphasizes its intended use as a woman's prayerbook by illustrating scenes of influential and important women in the bible.  These include Eve, Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah, Deborah and Miriam as well as a charming vignette at the foot of the page which quotes the midrashic aphorism, "On account of righteous women, we left Egypt." This decorative program is a departure from other "women's" title pages that emphasized the three mitzvot most commonly associated with Jewish wives: separation of hallah, lighting of candles and family purity. Composed for women who could not understand the Hebrew text, this volume presented the liturgy in Spanish translation. The second work comprises the text of the Five Books of Moses and the Haftarot. Bound in tandem, these two works served to fulfill all the liturgical needs of a contemporary Spanish-speaking Jewish woman in eighteenth century Amsterdam, obviating the necessity to carry more than one volume.  Using tortoise shell as a form of luxury bookbinding gained great popularity in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  In this method, the boards and spine were covered in polished tortoise shell and often embellished with silver or brass fittings, as can be seen here.

Both works in the present lot were printed by Solomon ben Joseph Proops, renowned bookseller and publisher in Amsterdam during the early eighteenth century.  From 1697 to 1703 Solomon sponsored the works of other printers and in 1704 set up his own Hebrew press which produced primarily liturgical works as well as a wider range of books dealing with halakhah, aggadah, Kabbalah, ethics, and history.  In 1730 he issued a sales catalog entitled Appiryon Shelomo, the first such Hebrew publication.