Aleppo Codex Facsimile For Sale

AUTHOR: UNKNOWNLANGUAGE: HEBREWDATE: AROUND 930PAGE #: 593REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 8.75 WIDE X 11.25 TALL (INCHES)Larger Version 10.5 wide x 14.5 tall (inches)
HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THE ALEPPO CODEX IS A MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT OF THE HEBREW BIBLE. UNTIL THE RECENT CENTURY IT WAS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST INTACT AND PRESERVED HEBREW BIBLES. IT IS UNKNOWN WHO COMMISSIONED THE ALEPPO CODEX IN TIBERIAS DURING THE 10TH CENTURY. HISTORIANS HAVE BEEN MORE INVESTED INTO ITS RECENT HISTORY THAN ITS ORIGIN. THE ALEPPO CODEX HAS A TREACHEROUS HISTORY BUT HAS STILL MANAGED TO SURVIVE.
BY 1050 THE KARAITE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF JERUSALEM HAD THE ALEPPO CODEX IN THEIR POSSESSION AND HAD BEEN RELOCATED TO FUSTAT. DURING THE FIRST CRUSADES THE CODEX AS WELL AS OTHER HOLY WORKS AND JEWISH SURVIVORS WERE HELD FOR RANSOM IN 1099. THE MONEY WAS BORROWED FROM ALEXANDRIA AND THE HOLY WORKS WERE TRANSPORTED TO EGYPT. THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE ALEPPO CODES MOVE IN 1375 IS A BIT UNCLEAR BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MAIMONIDES DESCENDANTS THAT BROUGHT THE MANUSCRIPT TO ALEPPO, SYRIA. FOR THE NEXT SIX CENTURIES THE CODEX REMAINED AT THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE OF ALEPPO WHICH ALSO WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THE CAVE OF ELIJAH. IN 1947 SYRIA WAS IN TURMOIL WITH ANTI-JEWISH RIOTS. DURING THE RIOTS THE SYNAGOGUE WAS SET ON FIRE. TREASURES THOUGHT LOST FOR ALL TIME UNTIL 1958 WHEN THE CODEX RESURFACED. APPARENTLY BEING SAVED FROM THE BLAZE IT WAS THEN SMUGGLED FROM SYRIA INTO ISRAEL BY A SYRIAN JEW. IT BECAME THE PROPERTY OF YAD BEN ZVI.
LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OVER 40 % OF THE CODEX WAS MISSING, THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN BURNED SINCE THE MANUSCRIPT HAD A DISCOLORATION THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE FROM THE FIRE AT THE SYNAGOGUE. THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY BE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS NOT FROM THE FIRE AND ADDITIONAL PAGES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED. TESTING SHOWS THAT THE DISCOLORATION IS MOLD. THE MISSING PAGES AND FURTHER RESEARCH HAVE CREATED SPECULATIONS THAT THE MISSING PAGES COULD BE IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS, LEAVING HOPE FOR THE ALEPPO CODEX TO SOMEDAY BE COMPLETE AGAIN. FOR NOW, THE SHRINE OF THE BOOK WING OF THE ISRAEL MUSEUM IS HOME TO THE CODEX.
IN 2015 THE ALEPPO CODEX BECAME APART OF THE UNESCO MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER
REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
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