The Oxford based firm A. Rosenthal Ltd., specialises in selling Judaica and Hebraica related books. The antiquarian book seller deposited some of their back catalogues, card catalogues, ledgers and book plates amongst other things to the Leopold Muller Memorial Library.
Rosenthal compiled book catalogues of rare and unusual material and grouped them into specific subject areas. Including these two catalogues pictured.
The catalogue of ‘Sixteenth Century Hebraica’ was a list of books intended to be sold together as a complete collection. The collection included Hebrew books printed between 1505 and 1609. Rosenthal created this collection, in collaboration with Bernard M. Rosenthal in New York. The books were not part of a previous collection; instead the booksellers brought together books that they perceived to be valuable and also rare. The description of the collection highlights the uniqueness of the texts chosen, favouring first editions, as well as only including books that were complete and in good condition despite their age. The books in this catalogue were mostly printed in Italy, although there are also books from rare presses in Greece and Italy. Catalogues such as this provide valuable insights and information into early Hebrew printed books, but also the antiquarian book trade in the twentieth century.
The Rosenthal collection also includes company ledgers and sales books, which include many famous names within the field of Jewish studies. Other related items such as letters and book plates are also part of the collection.
