BENJAMIN OF TUDELA (c.1130?-1173). Masa’oth shel Rabbi Benyamin [in Hebrew, “The Travels of Rabbi Benjamin.”] Ferrara: Abraham ibn Usque, 5316 [1555/1556].

Extremely rare second edition of Rabbi Benjamin’s travels, one of the most important original sources for 12th-century Jewish life in the Mediterranean. Benjamin of Tudelo spent over a decade traveling, mostly in the Mediterranean and Holy Land and as far East as Baghdad and possibly even India or the frontiers of China (he mentions these places, but the account is contradictory; if he made it to the Chinese frontier, it was a century before Marco Polo did). Benjamin supplies the names of the principal Jews for the cities he visits as well as the Jewish population size; this emphasis being helpful for prospective travelers seeking hospitality. He also includes fascinating digressions and helpful details for merchants.

Benjamin’s work was first printed by Eliezer ben Gershon in Constantinople in 1543. However, the present text was based on a different and better manuscript, not on the first edition. was printed by Abraham Usque, a marrano born in Lisbon who went to Ferrara sometime after 1543, and there made public his Jewish identity. He printed the famous Ferrara Bible (a Ladino translation of the Hebrew Bible) in 1553. In Portugal he was known as Duarte Pinel. It was Usque's edition that was used as the groundwork for the 19th century edition published by A. Asher. Vinograd, Ferrara 42 (incomplete copy in JNUL); Zedner 85 (citing only two known copies). See also Abraham Yaari, Mas'ot Erets Yisrael, 1976, pp. 761-762.

Octavo (146 x 93mm). Woodcut printer’s device on title. (First headline shaved, generally a little soiled with scattered minor repairs to tiny holes or paper edges, tiny hole at top margin of final two leaves.) Censor's inscription on title. Modern calf gilt. Provenance: Kestenbaum & Company, New York, 12 March 2013, lot 67.