The Crown Jewel of Americana: Biblia Hebraica, Philadelphia 1814. The First Hebrew Bible Printed in America. A ...

The Crown Jewel of Americana: Biblia Hebraica, Philadelphia 1814. The First Hebrew Bible Printed in America. A Complete Set!

The Crown Jewel of Americana: The first-ever Tanach printed in America, Philadelphia 1814. A complete set such as this is very rare, and has always been very desirable by collectors.

When Jonathan Horowitz, a young devout Jew, arrived in America in the early 19th century, he brought with him a complete font of Hebrew type. In 1812, Horowitz proposed the publication of an edition of the Hebrew Bible using his precious type, but soon discovered that he was not alone in his desire to produce such a bible for the American market. In early 1813, in the face of stiff competition, Horowitz sold the Hebrew type to William Fry and transferred his right to publish and the subscription lists to Philadelphia publisher Thomas Dobson. It was Dobson who eventually succeeded in bringing out the present edition in 1814. Horowitz decided instead to pursue a career in medicine, enrolling in the medical school at the University of Pennsylvania.

This copy bears the phrase "printed with intense study in Amsterdam" on the title page of Nevi'im Rishonim. See Goldman 4, who notes that this phrase is omitted in some copies. This copy is complete with the rare half-title page which precedes the main title page in each volume; these are lacking in most copies. 

In very good condition. Paper slightly browned, as in all copies. Set bound in gorgeous crimson red hand-tooled binding with full gilt accents and decoration.  

Volume I: Torah-Nevi'im Rishonim: [6], 296 pp. 

Volume II: Nevi'im Acharonim-Kesuvim: [4], 3-312 pp.