Penn in Hand: Selected Manuscripts

Abraham bar Hiyya Savasorda, ca. 1065-ca. 1136.

[Ḥeshbon mahalkhot ha-kokhavim] [manuscript].

[Spain?], [14--]

98 leaves : paper ; 197 x 135 (161 x 85) mm., not including folded note tabs, bound to 205 x 147 mm.

Hebrew.

15th-century copy of the second part of a 12th-century two-part treatise, on astronomy (the first part, not present in this manuscript, discussed geography). Includes computations for solar and lunar eclipses between 1135 and 1136. Numerous marginal notes were preserved when the manuscript was trimmed, leaving tabs that have been folded in.

Formerly owned by Italian philologist, poet, and biblical exegete Samuel David Luzzatto.

Acquired by the Polish scholar and bibliophile S. J. Halberstam from the estate of Samuel David Luzzatto, ms. 110.

Sold as part of Halberstam's library to Judith Montefiore College (Ramsgate, England), after 1887, ms. 422 (label inside lower cover, Montefiore MS. 422).

Placed on deposit at Jews' College (London) as part of the Montefiore Endowment, 1899.

Sold at auction at Sotheby's (New York) as part of a collection of manuscripts from the Montefiore Endowment, 27 Oct. 2004, lot 307, to Lawrence J. Schoenberg.

Gift of Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle Schoenberg, 2015.

Luzzatto, Samuel David, 1800-1865, former owner.

Halberstam, S. J. (Solomon Joachim), 1832-1900, former owner.

Judith Montefiore College (Ramsgate, England), former owner.

Astronomy - Early works to 1800.

Astronomy, Medieval.

Jewish astronomy - Early works to 1800.

Codices.

Annotations.

Treatises.

Manuscripts, Hebrew - 15th century.

Manuscripts, Renaissance.

Ms. codex.

Title supplied by cataloger.

Foliation: Paper, iii (modern) + 2 (modern) + 94 + i (modern); [i-ii, 1-96], modern foliation in pencil, upper left recto. Catchwords on each leaf, lower left verso.

Layout: Written in 22 long lines.

Script: Written in Sephardic semi-cursive script, with marginal notes in later hands.

Binding: Modern paper over boards.

Origin: Possibly written in Spain, in the 15th century.

Described in Transformation of knowledge: early manuscripts from the collection of Lawrence J. Schoenberg (London: Paul Holberton, 2006), p. 60 (LJS 472).

UPenn LJS 472.

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts University of Pennsylvania LJS 472