The Festival Prayers,

Superb binding. Magnificent six volumes Ashkenazic Machzor of Festival Prayers, translated by Rev. David Aaron De Sola, minister of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews at the Bevis Marks congregation.

This set was removed from the de Rothschild library at Exbury House, Hampshire. The house was acquired in 1919 by Major Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1882-1942), the grandson of Baron Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1808-1879), British Jewish banker, politician and philanthropist and the first Jewish MP.

The volumes are divided according to the five most important holidays in the Jewish calendar: Vol. I Passover; Vol. II Shavuot; Vol. III New Year (Rosh HaShanah); Vol. IV Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot); Vols V & VI Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

De Sola was the first minister to preach a sermon in English within the walls of Bevis Marks (all previous were delivered in Spanish or Portuguese).

First edition; small 8vo (18 x 12 cm), 6 vols; contemporary panelled black calf, richly gilt, with straight-grain black morocco onlay to central panel of boards, spine richly gilt in compartments with raised bands, all edges gilt, yellow glazed endpapers, a superb example of Le goüt Rothschild.