A 9,000-volume private collection of rare Hebrew works, including more than 30 of the 100 Hebrew books printed before 1500 and still in existence, has been acquired by Yeshiva University for the Manuscript and Rare Bock Division of its new Central University Library scheduled for completion next year, it was announced here this weekend by Dr. Samuel Belkin, university president.
The collection, which was originally assembled by Baruch Straus, a German-born Jew who settled in London, was acquired by Yeshiva University with the financial help of Ludwig Jesselson, a prominent philanthropist and collector of Judaica, and Max Stern, founder of the University’s Stern College for Women.
In addition to the Hebrew incunabula, works published in the first 50 years after the invention of printing, the collection includes 16th century first editions printed in Italy and products of early presses in Prague, Cracow, Lublin and Basel.
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