Sotheby’s is a famous auction house.
Daniel Bomberg was a famous printer of the Talmud.
So guess how much this set of Bomberg Shas went for.
Was it a half million?
Was it a million?
Before we guess let us get some background.
The Judaica auctioned off today were from the collection of books and manuscripts that were assembled by diamond dealer Jack Lunzer of London. He purchased these Judaica items as he traveled the world on business.
This Babylonian Talmud was printed by Daniel Bomberg in Venice in the 16th century. It was the first to be printed in the 1520s and one of just 14 full copies still in existence after a 1550 papal edict banning Hebrew books. That decree resulted in the burning of many seforim. The nine volume calfskin bound set is the finest surviving copy of Bomberg’s Talmud, according to Sotheby’s. It was owned by Westminster Abbey for 450 years.
So the cost that someone paid? 9.3 million dollars.
(Source: OnlySimchas.com)
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3 Responses
Interesting. Its probably worth much more. I think thats a bargain. But I thought that Mr Lunzer wanted to sell his library in one piece, not in pieces like this. The Bomberg shas is defintely its highest value set. I am surprised at this news.
Nobody met his price for the entire library, so if he wants to sell it he was forced to sell it in pieces. I think he will get much more in pieces, although I’m not sure the money matters to him.
I once saw Jack Lunzer’s library in Hampstead Garden Suburb, when I once attended Shovu’os nite learning at his residence. … I was invited as I am a distant cousin of his.