Torah

A finely bound first edition of the Geneva Hebrew Bible.

• Torah, Nevi’im Rishonim, Nevi’im Achronim, Ktuvim.  
• Geneva: Kafa Ilan Press, 1618. 
• Quarto.
• Vocalized Hebrew text, two columns per page.
• Contemporary paneled leather, gilt, arabesque with fleur-de-lys to center to boards, spine with raised bands and foliate device tooled in gilt to each compartment.

Scarce first edition of the Geneva Hebrew bible, with the Megillot placed at the end of the Torah volume without a separate title page. This bible is based on earlier Venice editions, as were other bibles by the same printer, who was known more widely by his Christian name: Petrus de la Rouière. Due to the similarity in the Hebrew spelling of Geneva and Genoa this bible is often mistakenly attributed to the latter location. 

Efraim Philemon Petri (1860-1924) was born into a Jewish family in Taurage, Lithuania. He moved to Sweden, where he converted to Christianity and was baptised in 1881. In 1901 he moved to Nakskov, Denmark, and joined the Israel Mission. He lived in Copenhagen from 1908 and was enlisted as a travelling preacher. He died on his way to Jerusalem in February 1924 and was buried in the Protestant cemetery of Mount Zion.Scarce first edition of Geneva Hebrew Bible, often mistakenly listed as Genoa Bible. 

Efraim Philemon Petri (presentation inscription dated 1896).