Complete Magnificent Set – Tanach Venice 1521-1525 – Masterpieces of the Bomberg Printing Press!
Hebrew Bible – Venice; Daniel Bomberg, 1521-1525 – 4 volumes
Four titles: Pentateuch, Former Prophets, Latter Prophets, Writings. Initial words set in ornate woodcut borders.
Daniel Bomberg, the pioneering printer of Hebrew books, gained renown as the founder of the earliest Hebrew press in Venice. Over a prolific three-decade period (1515-1549), he achieved significant milestones, including the production of the first Mikra’ot Gedolot—a four-volume Rabbinic Bible with commentaries (1517-18). To meet market demands, Bomberg also crafted single-volume quarto editions without rabbinic commentaries, enhancing affordability and broadening accessibility. This volume, a testament to Bomberg’s successful strategy, underwent reissues in 1521, 1525, and 1533, shortly after its inaugural publication in 1517.
Because these quarto editions were virtually identical, and because the Hebrew Bible edition comprises four discrete units (Pentateuch and Five Scrolls, Former Prophets, Latter Prophets, and Writings), Bomberg was able to use the sections interchangeably. The present copy bears the title page date of 1525 and features a 1521 colophon.
Renowned for their clear type and layout, Daniel Bomberg’s quarto Bible editions have rightfully earned acclaim as some of the most aesthetically pleasing Bibles from the sixteenth century.
