Scarce first edition of the Geneva Hebrew bible. Scarce first edition of the Geneva Hebrew bible, with the Megillot placed at the end of the Torah volume without a separate title page. This bible is based on earlier Venice editions, as were other bibles by the same printer, who was known more widely by his Christian name: Petrus de la Rouière. Due to the similarity in the Hebrew spelling of Geneva and Genoa this bible is often mistakenly attributed to the latter location.

Efraim Philemon Petri (1860-1924) was born into a Jewish family in Taurage, Lithuania. He moved to Sweden, where he converted to Christianity and was baptised in 1881. In 1901 he moved to Nakskov, Denmark, and joined the Israel Mission. He lived in Copenhagen from 1908 and was enlisted as a travelling preacher. He died on his way to Jerusalem in February 1924 and was buried in the Protestant cemetery of Mount Zion.Scarce first edition of Geneva Hebrew Bible, often mistakenly listed as Genoa Bible

First edition; 4to; vocalised Hebrew text, two columns per page; contemporary panelled sheep(?), gilt, arabesque with fleur-de-lys to centre to boards, spine with raised bands & foliate device tooled in gilt to each compartment, headcapped chipped, tailcap worn, corners repaired, hinges strengthened, closed tear to title repaired, manuscript notes throughout text in old brown and red ink, pages numbered in ink by the same hand, contents in manuscript to the last free endpaper; ownership inscription to rear endpaper dated 1843, presentation inscription in Swedish from B.H. Walther to Philemon Petri dated 13 October 1896, to front free endpaper with photographic portrait of Petri pasted to opposite page, this taken from the title-page of the biography by Esbo; 983 pp.

Heller (The Seventeenth Century Hebrew Book) I, pp. 380-381; Darlow & Moule 5118.