IGGERET ORCHOT OLAM
The First Hebrew Book to Describe
the Discovery of America
PERITSOL, Abrahamo [Abraham ben Mordecai FARISSOL]. Iggeret Orchot Olam Id Est, Itinerara Mundi, Sic Dicta Nempe Cosmographia. Hebrew and Latin title and text. Latin translated and edited by Thomas Hyde. Oxford: at the Theatre for Henry Bonwick, 1691. 196pp. Second Edition [First Edition with a translation].
— bound with —
Liturgia, Peregrinatione meccana, Arabic circumcisione. Arabic and Latin text. Oxford, 1690. Contemporary calf, rebacked, original spine relaid. Custom clam-shell case. A Very Nice copy.
$4500

THE EARLIEST OBTAINABLE COPY. THIS IS THE FIRST HEBREW BOOK ON "MODERN GEOGRAPHY" AND THE FIRST HEBREW BOOK TO DESCRIBE COLUMBUS' DISCOVERY OF THE NEW WORLD. The author, Abraham Farissol (1421-1525), a contemporary of Columbus, influenced by the great voyages of discovery around him, was the first Jewish scholar to turn his attention to geography of "The New World." The work written in 1525, circulated in manuscripts of which only five are known. Little studied in this form, its publication in Venice in 1586 made it the most influential of Farissol's works. Apparently only six copies of the 1586 edition are known and would be priced in the high five figures.

 
  THE LONDON GAZETTE
Pirates Capture Jews on English Ship
Bound for the New World
(SEPHARDIC JUDAICA / NEWSPAPER) The London Gazette, April 20, 1728. Number 6667. Printed by S. Buckley. One leaf (2pp), 4to. Small chips to extremities, otherwise Very Good Condition.
$1500

This issue carries news that twelve individuals (including four Jews) who had been previously captured by Moroccan pirates are now released under a new peace treaty between England and the Emperor of Morocco. Rachel, David, and Raphael Franco along with Blanco Flora had been captured while en route from London to New York. The Gazette reports that they were returned to England on "His Majesty's Ship Monmouth."

Interestingly enough, though the other victims are listed by name and nationality i.e. William Pendergrass/English, Joseph Patroon/Spanish, Alboro Tordaselas/Gibraltar— the four Jews (Rachel, David and Raphael Franco, and Blanco Flora), are listed as "Jews," under nationality. These events of 1728 preceded the era of Jew Bills and the civil and religious liberties of Jewish people were far from secure. They were indeed people without a country. Our research shows the Franco family to be of Portuguese/Sephardi extraction, who generations before undoubtedly fled the Inquisition of Portugal. Raphael Franco became a powerful merchant in the diamond and coral trade operating between India, Brazil and England.

 
  THE WORKS OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS
First Complete Works of Josephus
Printed in America
(JOSEPHUS) The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated into English by Sir Roger L'Estrange. In four volumes. Vol. I, Philadelphia: W. and T. Bradford for John McGibbons, 1773. Vol. II, America: Printed for the Subscribers, 1774. Vol. III, New York: Printed by Hodge and Shober for John McGibbons, 1775. Vol. IV, New York: Printed by Schober and Loudon for John McGibbons and Robert Hodge, 1775. Contemporary calf, Vol. II rebacked, Vol. IV new spine label, all hinges expertly conserved. A Very Good set overall and very rare.
$10,000

FIRST COMPLETE PRINTING OF JOSEPHUS IN AMERICA. The Works of Flavius Josephus is one of only seven Jewish books that were part of Thomas Jefferson's library that was purchased by the U.S. government (in 1815) to form the Library of Congress collection as we know it today. Thus Josephus' works was one of the first Jewish books in the collection of the world's largest library. No doubt Jefferson, as he sat to pen the Declaration of Independence, regarded the early history of the Jewish people and its struggle to rid itself of Roman domination as told by Josephus, as one of his great influences in charting America's course of freedom. This very set was published between those critical years of Jefferson's thinking 1773-1775, just a year or two before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There is no question this set's great rarity on the market today.

Flavius Josephus (c. 38—after 100 C.E.), Jewish historian and one of the chief representatives of Jewish-Hellenistic literature, was born and raised in Jerusalem. After being captured by the Romans following The Jewish War, he used his wits and literary talents to save himself from execution, eventually becoming a naturalized Roman citizen and earning the undying enmity of his contemporary fellow Jews. However, the world is a richer place for his contributions, without which we would know very little of the history of the Second Temple period. This is the first American printing of the complete works of Josephus, appearing on the eve of the American Revolution.
Rosenbach 55,64,66,67.

 
  "to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance..."

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FAMOUS 1790
LETTER TO THE TOURO SYNAGOGUE
Publicly acknowledging the rights of Jews in America
A foundation stone of American Religious Liberty
WASHINGTON, George. Letter to the Newport Congregation. The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser. Thursday September 16, 1790. Philadelphia. 4pp. Correspondence between Moses Seixas and George Washington appears in column four of page two and column one of page three. Centerfold expertly conserved, minor repairs and light staining, else Very Good Condition.

During a visit to Newport, Rhode Island in the summer of 1790, a year before the Bill of Rights was ratified, President George Washington received an eloquent letter dated August 17th from Moses Seixas, warden of the Touro Synagogue, seeking assurance of religious freedoms for Jews.

FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE FIRST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN AMERICA. Washington's prompt response was printed in a number of American newspapers. Its appearance in America's first daily newspaper on September 16th, 1790 constituted a bold public declaration by the Father of his country protecting the free and equal status of Jews in America.

"The citizens of the United States of American have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy—a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens...May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid..."

The usefulness of the Hebrew Congregation's and Washington's correspondence is illustrated by Governor Worthington, employing them in 1824 in support of the Maryland Jew Bill which conferred upon Maryland Jews the full political rights heretofore denied them and subsequently became the landmark decision guaranteeing rights to Jews of all the nation's states. This letter, a foundation stone of American religious liberty and the separation of church and state is re-read each year in a public ceremony for the congregation of the Touro Synagogue.

 
 

A DEFENCE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
From the Press of Naphtali Judah...
one of America's first Jewish publishers
LEVI, David. A Defence of the Old Testament in a Series of Letters addressed to Thomas Paine...New York: William A. Davis for Naphtali Judah, 1797. Original calf, rebacked.
$550

In response to having read Paine's Age of Reason, David Levi uses that treatise as a platform for an examination of the Old Testament. Naphtali Judah was a vital 18th century New York social figure; serving as a Trustee of the Congregation Shearith Israel for ten terms and as President for four terms. He was also a member of the Tammany Society serving as Sachem for 15 years. His business interests were widely ranged: banker, import / export, as well as distinguished book publisher and stationer.

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