[AMERICANA-HEBRAICA]
Biblia Hebraica, Secundum Ultimam Editionem Jos. Athiae, a Johanne Leusden, Denuo Recognitum, Recensita Variisque Notis Latinis Illustrata, ab Everardo Van Der Hooght. Editio Prima Americana, Sine Punctis Masorethicis. Philadelphia: Printed by William Fry for Thomas Dobson, 1814. First edition of the first Hebrew Bible published in America. Two volumes, early 20th century cloth, leather spine labels, marbled endpapers. 8 3/4 x 5 3/8 (22.25 x 13.5 cm); [5], 296 ff.; [1], 312 ff. Cloth somewhat worn and soiled, toning and minor offsetting at the front and rear of each volume, a clean split of about two inches at the gutter margin of the title of the first volume. Lacking blanks and half-titles, and without the scarce publisher's leaf explaining the genesis of this edition, which is found in very few copies.
The first complete edition of the Hebrew Bible published in the US. It utilizes the font of type imported from Amsterdam for the purpose by Jonathan Horwitz. The printed text (based on that of E. Van der Hooght, published in Amsterdam in 1705, which remains the basis for most modern editions) does not use vowel-points or accents, which Horwitz's font most likely lacked. He had proposed the publication of an edition of the Hebrew Bible for the American market in 1812, but found that he faced stiff commercial competition to this endeavor from other publishers who were working to the same end. As a result, Horwitz sold the type to William Fry in early 1813, and transferred his publication rights and subscription lists to Philadelphia publisher Thomas Dobson, who issued this edition in 1814. Rosenbach American Jewish Bibliography 171; Wright Early Bibles of America 123-24; Darlow and Moule 5168a; Shaw & Shoemaker 30857; Goldman & Kinsberg 4.