Ma'aseh Toviyah
Stettin [Szczecin]/ Lviv: A. Druker, 1867. Third edition. Hardcover. Large octavo. Unpaginated. 146 double-sided leaves. Period brown marbled paper boards, protected in modern glassine. Contains four title pages, one for the work in total, at the front, followed by three individual title pages for each of the three parts of the work. Each title page with decorative woodblock borders. Two of the title pages state Stettin as the location of publication, while the other two state Lvov (Lviv). The title pages state this as the "third edition". Text throughout printed on blue paper, following the first title page.
This historically important work is a treatise and reference work on the natural sciences, which is famous for its numerous woodcut illustrations and figures. It was the first Hebrew book of its kind to be published. It's author was the early Enlightenment Polish-Jewish physician Tobias Cohen (aka Toviyyah ben Moshe ha-Kohen, or Toviyah Kats, 1652-1729). The work was first published in Venice in 1707 and is divided into three parts covering covers numerous topics including medicine, physiology, anatomy, hygiene, botany, zoology, cosmology and astronomy. Includes at total of 26 black woodblock illustrated figures and diagrams throughout, outlining creation, depicting the geocentric and heliocentric models of the solar system, the four elements, plants, insects, physical phenomena, and ships sailing on the the spherical globe of the world, among others. The third part is the most notable for its famous illustrated figure known as "The House of the Body", which shows the detailed interior anatomy of the human body and a multi-story house, side by side, relating and comparing the organs of the body to the divisions of the house. The work is also includes theology and cosmology from a Jewish context, and discusses Sabbatianism.
Text in Hebrew.
Binding with rubbing to the extremities, as well as abrasions and scratches to the paper boards. Front board starting to crack at the top of the front hinge. Starting following the second title page, and at the interior rear cover. Contains copious period ink notes in Hebrew and English, on the interior covers and endpapers. Printed ex-libris of a previous owner pasted on the front free endpaper. Library stamp from another previous owner, Jacob Franklin, on the bottom of the third page. Rippling to endpapers. Some sporadic minor to light stains and smudges. Title page of part 2 with a small tear, resulting in minor loss of text, and some light chipping to the very edge of the final leaf of part 2. Binding in fair to good-, interior in good condition overall. Quite scarce. fair to good. Item #31821
Hebrew title: מעשה טוביה
Author: טוביה קץ/ טוביה כהן/ טוביה הכהן/ טוביה הרופא
Publication: לבוב/שטעטין, א. דראקיר, תרכ״ז
Alternate transliterations: Mase Towija (2nd title page), Ma'aseh Tobiyah, Ma'aseh Tuvyah, Ma'aseh Toviyyah, Ma'aseh Tovia.
Price: $750.00