*No Reserve!* A Very Rare and Important Illustrated Ketbuah, Mantua 1668.

*No Reserve!* A Very Rare and Important Illustrated Ketbuah, Mantua 1668.

We are pleased to offer this exceptionally rare and early Ketubah from 17th century Mantua, open for bidding with no reserve. 

The Ketubah celebrates the wedding of Shemaiah, son of Aminadav Cases, to Mirele, the daugther of Yosef Rimini on Friday, 15 Sivan 5428 (May 25, 1668).

Ketubot from this early period in Mantua are very rare. It features a unique design of  painted interlocking circles embellished with gold and silver dots. Although the center design – a crown and gateway motif – is found in other Ketubot from the seventeenth century, this is the only known decorated marriage contract from this early period to feature this sophisticated geometric border design. A roundel at the top center of the Ketubah contains the family emblem of the groom: two birds on a branch with the word "Shalom" written in Hebrew above their heads. In the center of the lower border appears the family emblem of the bride: a lion rampant with a flowering branch.

Interestingly, the family of the groom were prominent members of the Mantua community and are documented in various works published at the time. His father was R. Shalom Cases, a local physician as wee as the Rabbi of Mantua from 1622 to 1630 and was the author of Derech Yesharah (Mantua 1626), a lengthy treatise regarding the system of communal taxation in Mantua. He was killed in the siege of Mantua in 1630.

In addition, the Ketubah is signed by two leading Rabbinic personalities who served as witnesses:

 - R. Gur Aryeh ben Moses Hoshea HaLevi Finzi, a scholar and author whose glosses on the Shulchan Aruch were printed posthumously in the edition published in Mantua in 1722. Interestingly, this work caused a great deal of controversy when it was published, due to the unusual figures and engravings of some of our greatest Rabbis on the title page, such as the Maharik and the Beis Yosef. For this reason, volume II was printed without figures and engravings on the title page.

- R. Shlomo ben Binyamin Formiggini, a noted Kabbalist, as well as the official scribe of the Mantua Jewish community. He was well acquainted with the Remaz, R. Moshe Zacuto. 

Ink and gouache on parchment (22x18"). Matted and framed. Light scattered stains and repairs to the lower border.