Sotheby's to Auction Rare Medieval Jewish Manuscripts and Judaica

Sotheby's will host the "Magnificent Judaica" auction in New York on December 17th, featuring a significant collection of rare medieval and Renaissance Jewish manuscripts, alongside valuable ritual silver items. The centerpiece of the collection is an illuminated Mahzor created in Italy around 1475 by scribe and artist Yoel ben Simson, with an estimated value of $3 to $5 million. This manuscript is adorned with hundreds of detailed illustrations depicting biblical figures, animals, and religious observances.

Other notable manuscripts include a rare Roman rite Mahzor from Ferrara, estimated between $2 and $4 million, and a monumental 13th-century Ashkenazi Bible with a similar valuation. An illuminated copy of "Sefer Mitzvot Gadol" is also up for auction, with an estimated price of up to $2 million.

The sale also includes rare decorative art and ritual silver. Among these items is a miniature Torah scroll from 19th-century Galicia, belonging to the Ehrenthal family, presented with a gilded silver ark, valued at $450,000 to $650,000. A silver pitcher from 1776, bearing the names of the Rothschild dynasty's founder and his brother, is expected to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000. A gold binding crafted by jeweler Carlo Weingrill completes the selection, estimated at $100,000 to $200,000.

Prior to the auction, key manuscripts will be publicly displayed at the National Library of Israel, as well as in exhibitions in London and New York.