Obj. ID: 38196
Jewish printed books Seder shovavim, Thessaloniki (Salonika), 1802
This text was prepared by William Gross:
Title page with typographical border of stars.
The history of Hebrew printing in Salonica began in the early 16th and lasted some 400 years, being brought to an end only with the Nazi conquest. The first Hebrew press was established in Salonica in 1512 by a Portguese printer and émigré, Ibn Gedalya. By the 1560’s, with the mass influx of former Marranos from the Iberian Peninsula, printing activity in Salonica reached its height, with more than 120 books published (including a few in Ladino). With the exception of a short period, however, the city did not have any well-established printing house until the end of the 17th century.
By the mid-18th century, several printing houses which were to enjoy long periods of activity had been founded, and many books were issued from the city. While in many cases the printer’s name is recorded on the volume, in others, such as the present book, this information is not included.