Auction 74 Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
By Kedem
Sep 15, 2020
8 Ramban St, Jerusalem., Israel
The auction has ended

LOT 260:

Sod Yesharim (Segulot and Riddles) – Venice, 1595 / Manuscript – Segulot and Remedies / Two Printed Works in Italian

Sold for: $4,600 (₪15,732)
₪15,732
Start price:
$ 400
Buyer's Premium: 25%
VAT: 18% On commission only
Auction took place on Sep 15, 2020 at Kedem
tags:

Sod Yesharim (Segulot and Riddles) – Venice, 1595 / Manuscript – Segulot and Remedies / Two Printed Works in Italian
A volume comprising manuscripts and printed works related to segulot and folk remedies:
1. Sod Yesharim, "One hundred segulot… remedies and marvels" and "fifty riddles", by R. Yehuda Aryeh Leon of Modena. Venice: Zuan di Gara, [1595].
The first part of the book includes advice, segulot and remedies, and even some magical formulas (e.g. "To draw a raven on paper and it will call", "To make an egg fly", and more). The second part of the book includes fifty riddles with answers. Sod Yesharim was published anonymously; Modena's name is alluded to in an acrostic on the title page (as he revealed in his autobiography Chayei Yehuda).
Bound with two short printed works in Italian, also related to segulot and remedies:
2. Giardino di Virtu [Garden of Virtue]. Turin, 1584. Italian.
3. Compendio di Secreti nobilissimi [Compendium of Noble Secrets]. Novara, 1605.
Bound with:
4. Three manuscript leaves in Italian cursive script. Various segulot and remedies (including: "for toothache", "to reveal the gender of an unborn baby", "recipe for an ointment to cure fever", "to stop a nosebleed", and more).
5. Two manuscript leaves in Italian cursive script. Remedies (the title on the first page reads "Sefer Refuot" – Book of Remedies, followed by: "Given to me by my mother-in-law in Turin…").
14, [1] leaves; [4] leaves; [3] leaves; [4] leaves; [2] leaves (and several blank leaves). Approx. 14 cm. Fair condition. Stains, dampstains. Tears and wear. Open marginal tears to second manuscript, affecting text. Old heavy paper cover, damaged.
Both Italian works are not recorded in OCLC.