Rabbinic Bible

Rabbinic Bible or Mikraot Gedolot : These are the "Great Scriptures" of the Jewish religion, published together in a uniform format for the first time in early 16th century. Based on the first edition by Ben Hayyim, published by Bomberg in Venice in 1525, there have been a number of improved or enlarged editions through the ages. The nineteenth century saw one major project from Warsaw, where Yoel Levenzohn produced an edition in 12 Volumes between 1860 and 1866. (Wikipedia)

Our set is uniformly bound in 5 large and very nicely bound volumes. The binding is in excellent condition, somewhat overspecified perhaps, especially when compared with the more humble quality of paper and printing, produced in Poland, under difficult circumstances no doubt. The set proudly displays the arms of Cambridge University to front and spine.

Each volume also has a donation bookplate, which states that the set has been given, more than 100 years ago, to a Cambridge college by the widow of John Sharpe. John Sharpe was a fellow of the college, also Rector of Gissing, a small village in Norfolk, and a contributor to the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Christian Antiquities and the Dictionary of Christian Biography.

Apart from these mild library traces (also a blind-stamp to the endpaper, see below), the work has apparently never been used and is in superb condition.

Below are some views of the varied typography.

Blind-stamp to endpaper

Yes, we are looking for a new home for this set. The international book-trade does not seem to offer this edition at the moment, except for a single odd volume, in a very poor state, priced at £450 / $700. The title is very rare in the trade. Ingrid Oey of Antiquariaat Rashi in Amsterdam wrote to us that she never had this edition in stock. The high quality of our binding is also indicative of the rarity of the title. Because of this rarity, a reprint was published in Jerusalem In 1960. There are no auction records for the original edition, but the single volume currently for sale, with all its faults, offers some guidance. We can find approx 30 copies in US libraries, only one in Germany (StaBi), the Polish National Library only seems to hold a part volume.
Disclaimer: We are not in a position to read Hebrew text or to offer a bibliographical collation for this title. One library catalogue mentions defects like duplicate and missing pages. Our pricing shall try to account for this possibility. Our full listing is here.

The Warsaw Rabbinic Bible
The latest Biblia Rabbinica, with thirty-two commentaries, is that published at Warsaw by Levensohn (1860–68, 12 vols., small fol.). It contains, besides the original Hebrew, the Targums Onḳelos and Yerushalmi on the Pentateuch, the Targum Jonathan on the Prophets, and Targums to the Hagiographa, including the Targum Sheni on Esther. Of commentaries it contains that of Rashi on the whole Bible; Aaron Pesaro's "Toledot Aharon"; Asheri's commentary and Norzi's notes on the Bible; Ibn Ezra on the Pentateuch, the Five Megillot, the Minor Prophets, the Psalms, Job, and Daniel; Moses Ḳimḥi on the Proverbs; Naḥmanides on the Pentateuch; Obadiah Sforno on the Pentateuch, the Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes; Elijah Wilna on the Pentateuch, Joshua, Isaiah, and Ezekiel; S. E. Lenczyz and S. Edels on the Pentateuch; J. H. Altschuler on the Prophets and Hagiographa; David Ḳimḥi on the Later Prophets; Levi ben Gershon on Joshua, Kings, Proverbs, and Job; Isaiah di Trani on Judges and Samuel; S. Oceda on Ruth and Lamentations; Eliezer ben Elijah Ashkenazi on Esther; Saadia on Daniel. It also contains the Masorah Magna and Parva, tracts on the vowels and accents, the various readings of Ben Asher and Ben Naphtali, and the introduction of Jacob ben Ḥayyim of Tunis. (Wikipedia)

Trials and Tribulations in Exhibition

A lady visiting the National Portrait Gallery may have been so absorbed by the painted gaze of various notable figures that she returned home minus her umbrella.

The Gallery public relations department of 1974 sprung into action. Their efforts fruitless and yet what remains is a wonderful piece of well crafted correspondence (minus an umbrella)

Invisible Letters and the Birth of Italics

Like a spy, always looking for a secret message, or like the kabbalist who is scanning the written for what is un-said, the historians of the book have developed a pretty nice little toolbox to read what was printed, without reading the words of the author ("the author"). The ways of the book trade, the economies of the publishing enterprise, the ruses of typography, the direction of the fibers in the paper, the clues left behind by the hammer, the design of the binding, the presence of faint but regular creases in the page, the precise movement of the thread that makes up the binding, the entitlement and authorisation of books, their librarisation, all these externalities have contributed to a bright rainbow of stories about (the) book which keep a growing gaggle of book-spies pretty busy.

Randall McLeod, also known as Erin Dale (Mrs Auga), Ana Mary Armygram, Random Cloud, Randal Mc Leod, Orlando F. Booke, Claudia Nimbus, Random Clod, etc, is perhaps the most important practitioner of the art of reading the early book as a made object, and telling stories about how exactly they were produced. In many ways the book presents as a finished and ideal object. McLeod's readings destroy this imposition, and show us how it was made in the first place.




The inventor of the McLeod Portable Collator, a machine which allows to read two copies of the same book at the same time and highlighting minute differences between copies, will be talking about the invention of the Italic typeface in 1501 Venice when Aldo Manutius printed the very first book in this compact type, a face which still today is a cultural marker of the highest order. We know that the early value of the new typeface was that it appeared less bookish than the type in use before Aldus. What will the faint traces of uninked type which our book-spy found hidded in plain sight, what will they tell us about the actual process of giving birth to a new typeface? Join the man with many names on Friday 27 June 2014, Seminar Room 24, Faculty of English, West Road, Cambridge at 12.30 and find out.




                    

The latest model of bed-sit-kitch-flatlets are after us

In 1935, in the Spectator, Arthur Waugh wrote about how the "latest model of bed-sit-kitch-flatlets" threaten and replace bookshops. His lament: "The historic firm of Bumpus confronts eviction; and by the end of the month yet one more of the familiar haunts of the book-lover will have been sacrificed to the inexorable laws of traffic and speed."

His analysis is still correct. Books inhabit the remote niches of a complex system, and the used book trade is always liable to give way to more profitable enterprises. And so with Plurabelle.

In lieu of condolences and expressions of sympathy, offers of muscular assistance for the move are gratefully received. (5£ / hour) Join us for a joyful lamentation toward a new beginning. Call 07972282092 or check our facebook page for shifts and locations. We have a van starting this Saturday, 22 Feb 2014.

Here is the Film Preview of the 2014 Plurabelle Move 

Neighbor Kip, most bitter-sweet, sad, yet happy, because he himself does not need to move, declares his sympathy, and requests some for himself

Empty Shelves.

Emptier Shelves with afternoon mood-light.

Book charity haul.

Have suitcase, will travel.

Local art teacher removes books for art projects in inclement weather

Keep /  Get Rid: Which one is it to be? 

Rianna (matrial arts fearless) hits the IKEA shelf very elegantly

Removing the printer (First attempt)

Server (HP DL 380) out

Happy Scrap Removal Team

Shelfmeister at work

Signing the contract with Monet in the background

Miniature Bookshop Official Opening

The official Opening of the fabulous Miniature Bookshop created by Emma Taylor will take place on Wednesday 27 March 2013 at 4:30 pm.

We expect a group of unicyclists to join us for this occasion (Please get your Torker, your Jugglebug or your Semcycle out for this occasion) - the bookseller himself with balance his Ammaco. The unicyclists will assemble at the top of Purbeck Road, and accompany our guests down Purbeck Rd. We are expecting Julian Huppert who will conduct the official opening.

We also have a little facebook event (if you don't mind their advertisement).

Local artist Robert Good will introduce Emma's work and Julian Huppert will cut the ribbon.

After the official opening there will be an opportunity to visit the nearby Cambridge Cookery School and Kip Gresham of the Print Studio will show the visitors around his premises.

The bookshop is located in a protected industrial zone which has in the past hosted high quality art, crafts, and traditional artisan technologies. It is hoped that this tradition can be continued in the future.

From Within a Book

Some books are more special than others. This one is super special. The mental furniture, the conceptual arrangements, the cognitive architecture, even the familiarity of language and tone, the author's style, all is there for you to see, to step into, to play with, to share and to marvel. 

A Bookshop within a Book

Francis Bacon dreamed of an end of bookish learning. He would be keen on such real books, books which literally contain the reality he wanted to focus on. But then, there are books in this book!  That surely would worry a philosopher who wanted to get beyond books! 

Look at  these shelves! 

The bookseller retrieves a book for his client

Emma calls it From Within a Book. She does a bookshop in less than a week. She does shelves, furniture, (upholstery), carpets, ladders, even the humans. This must be my scarf! And of course the books. All made out of books. And placed in a book. Mise en abyme? Enjoy more of Emma's work on her own site. Compliments to fromwithinabook at gmail dot com.

In Edinburgh, mysterious book sculptures are going on display, as the Guardian reports. Perhaps this is how books are fighting back against Kindle and co.

Thanks, Emma, for sharing your marvelous work! 

Bookshop in a Book in a Bookshop

Yes, of course, a Carpet!

A book about epistemology? Epidemology?

"From within a Book"

Bookseller with scarf

Subtle Thief & Mince Pies Plurabelle Tuesday, Dec 18 at 6:00 pm

Askance Publishing and Plurabelle Books would like to have the honour of your company for a evening of books, readings, and the most bookish Christmas Tree you have ever seen. Two sets of the Dictionary of National Biography and a few stout volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica will perform the world premier of a ballet called The Christmas Tree (Composed and designed by Laura N.)

Join us on Tuesday Dec 18th at 6pm at our warehouse at the bottom of Purbeck Road, right next to Hills Road 6th Form College. Come early to pick up a few cheap Christmas presents that have words like a Kindle, but smell much better and cost much less.

Stay to listen to DJ Wiseman and his mellifluous prose in his very own velvet baritone voice when he reads from The Subtle Thief of Youth, his most recent book. We will have mince pies and mulled wine to keep you warm.

More poets and performers have been scheduled, please stay tuned as the names will be released

Join our facebook event here.