The Kennicott Bible

One of the Most Beautiful Illuminated Hebrew Manuscripts in Existence
15th Century

[O] ne of the most beautiful medieval Spanish manuscripts in existence, the famous Kennicott Bible, was published as a sumptuous facsimile after five and a half years in the making. At long last one can enjoy reading the text of this completely vocalised and massorated Bible, hand-written in beautifully clear Sephardi script of the Middle Ages, lavishly illuminated, and bound into a morocco goatskin box binding embossed on all six sides.

MS Kennicott 1 is named after Benjamin Kennicott, the English Christian Hebraist who was educated and worked most of his life (1718-1783) in Oxford. A Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, he continued the English tradition of studying the Hebrew bible. His pioneering work, comparing text variants of hundreds of Hebrew manuscripts world-wide, was published in his Dissertatio Generalis. In the course of his work he acquired this manuscript for the Radcliffe Library from where it was transferred to the Bodleian in 1872. In 200 years, only 30 art historians and scholars have been privileged to study the Kennicott Bible, one of the Bodleian's greatest treasures. The Bible, together with Rabbi David Kimchi's (RaDaK) grammatical treatise, was copied by the scribe Moses Ibn Zabara in 1476 at the commission of Isaac, the son of Don Solomon di Braga of La Coruña in north-western Spain. Executed almost twenty years before the final expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, at a time when they were already being harassed by the Spanish Inquisition, this manuscript shows what great importance the Jewish communities attached to the perpetuation of their heritage by investing in the production of an accurate and beautifully adorned Bible.

From its inception the manuscript was planned as a lavish work. 238 of the 922 pages of the Bible are illuminated with lively colours, burnished gold and silver leaf. The highly stylised figures - almost modern in their abstract rendering - delight the eye with the richness of their colours and their varied compositions. The zoomorphic and anthropomorphic letters in the artist's colophon are a manifestation of his rich imagination. Joseph Ibn Hayyim created in his own individual and distinct style a unique masterpiece. King David on his throne, Jonah being swallowed by a fish, or Balaam as an astrologer consulting an astrolabe, are but a few of the text illustrations in the Kennicott Bible. Even RaDaK's grammatical treatise SEFER MIKHLOL was not copied as an austere text, but written within magnificently decorated arcaded pages, placed at the beginning and end of the Bible, possibly because the manuscript was commissioned for the youth, Isaac, in the hope that it might encourage his interest.

The original manuscript is still housed in its contemporary morocco box binding, blind-tooled and embellished with cut-out endpapers using motifs similar to the intricate, colourful carpet pages which divide the Bible into its three main sections: Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographa. The production of the entire manuscript, from the preparation of the vellum leaves to the ultimate phase of binding, bears witness to the close co-operation between the scribe, the illuminator and the patron. Cecil Roth considered it "A masterpiece of Medieval Spanish Jewish art..." and thought it to be "one of the finest Hebrew manuscripts in existence."

THE LIMITED FACSIMILE EDITION

In reproducing the Kennicott Bible, Facsimile Editions, in co-operation with the Bodleian Library, achieved a quality hitherto unattained in any other facsimile. This quality was largely due to the excellent condition of the original manuscript, but to a greater extent to the undiminishing quest for perfection at every stage of its reproduction. First the Bodleian's photographic department overcame seemingly insoluble problems inherent in photographing the manuscript within its box-binding. As the artist used as many as 24 different colours in a single square inch of design, computer-controlled laser scanners were used to produce the first colour separations. These were then compared to the original and corrections were made by hand. Second proofs were then brought to the manuscript. As many as four sets of proofs were made and compared against the original in Oxford in order to achieve perfect colour fidelity before printing. While printing, Linda and Michael Falter stood at the press to check every sheet to ensure the quality of colour and accuracy of detail. Similarly, the publishers were not satisfied merely to reproduce the appearance of vellum. The original folios were studied and measured for their thickness, weight and opacity. One of the oldest Italian paper mills took over a year to produce a paper with the unique transparency, presence and feel of vellum.

Facsimile Editions sought out a company in Italy that for generations had practised the Master Printer's craft. Grafiche Milani, then under the direction of Luigi Canton regarded the reprinting of the manuscript as a supreme challenge in which the entire workforce would strive to produce a book of unparalleled consummate beauty. Their ingenuity, dedication and integrity ensured perfect reproduction of the lavish gold and silver and the intricate yet vibrant colours of the hundreds of illuminated pages. Many processes and materials were used in unusual combinations to produce these effects. Gold and silver metal leaf were applied by hand to each illumination by seven craftsmen working simultaneously for 4 months. Copying the binding was most difficult. Embossed in minute detail on all six surfaces, its style is extremely rare, but it is this binding that has preserved the manuscript's beauty for over half a millennium.

After painstakingly tracing the box's detailed design, handmade dies were used to emboss the soft morocco goatskin. The edges of each leaf are gilt with 23 carat gold. This very time-consuming and costly process was carried out by master binders in their atelier outside Milan, adding the finishing touches that make the facsimile worthy of the original.

Each copy is discreetly numbered. Limited to 550 copies world-wide, the certificate accompanying each facsimile carries the stamp of the Bodleian Library.

The facsimile of the Kennicott Bible has been made from the finest materials. As the entire Bible and grammatical notes are clearly legible, it is the publishers' sincere hope that generations to come will be able to enjoy using the Kennicott Bible and revel in its glorious artistry.

COMPANION VOLUME

The study of the Kennicott Bible and its illuminations was carried out and written especially for this facsimile by Professor Bezalel Narkiss, Founder of the Centre for Jewish Art, Jerusalem and Dr Aliza Cohen-Mushlin, its Director. The introduction deals with the physical description of the manuscript, and tells the story of its creation and programme. The illuminations were studied for their style and origin and the unique artistry of Joseph Ibn Hayyim is discussed in a special chapter interpreting his relations to both the older and contemporary art of Spain.

A fascinating story is told in a popular manner, with the thorough knowledge of experts augmenting the understanding of the Kennicott Bible for laymen and scholars alike. The introduction is produced with many additional illustrations as comparative material in a separate volume the same size as the facsimile, bound in the finest morocco goatskin to complement the Bible. The two volumes are cased in a presentation portfolio box.

SPECIFICATION

CODICOLOGY

922 pages, 238 illuminated pages with gold and silver
24 canonical book headings
49 parashah headings structured with gold in different motifs featuring zoomorphic figures in many colours
9 fully illuminated carpet pages
150 psalm headings, numbered and illuminated with gold and silver
Page size 320 x 262 x 100mm (12 1/2" x 10 1/3" x 4")

PAPER

The 'vellum' was the subject of considerable research and development and a paper was specially and exclusively milled in Italy. Care was taken to make this paper with a neutral pH. Its average opacity, feel and thickness are almost identical to that of the original manuscript.

PRINTING AND GILDING

Printed offset litho in eleven colours. Up to four sets of proofs were made for each page and perfect colour matching was achieved by constant comparison to the original manuscript in Oxford. While the facsimile was being printed, the publishers lived in Italy and personally supervised the production of every sheet. The lavish gold and silver was reproduced by applying a metal leaf by hand to each illumination.

BINDING

Fine morocco goatskin box-binding over specially prepared boards. Interlacing geometric designs on all six sides were embossed with handmade dies. Before binding, the facsimile's edges were gilt with 23 carat gold leaf.

PRESENTATION

The facsimile and introductory volume are encased in a specially made, velvet lined, portfolio box.

GIFT CERTIFICATE

Your facsimile can be personally dedicated by our calligrapher at no extra charge. Whether the facsimile is intended as a gift to an institution or a private individual, our calligrapher can inscribe a beautiful illuminated gift certificate with an appropriate inscription.

EDITION

Strictly limited to 500 numbered and 50 ad personam copies. Each volume, discreetly numbered by hand inside the leather binding using minute steel dies, is accompanied by a numbered certificate carrying the stamp of the Bodleian Library.

At the completion of the edition, the printing plates were destroyed (with Rabbinic permission), thus protecting the significant investment value of each copy.

Also available are sample pages from The Kennicot Bible facsimile volume, priced at $US70 unmounted and mounted ready for framing at $US90 - Plus Postage per sample page (specify preference if known), in the original size (32 x 26 cm).