Abraham Conat
Encyclopedia
Abraham ben Solomon Conat (flourished at Mantua
in the second half of the 15th century) was an Italian Jewish printer, Talmudist, and physician.
He obtained the title of ḥaber
(associate of a rabbi
) for his learning, but displayed it chiefly in the choice of works selected by him for printing, which art he and his wife Estellina expressly learned. He embarked upon the business of printing at Mantua in 1476, and became celebrated as one of the earliest printers of Hebrew books in Europe, producing the third to the tenth of Hebrew incunabula as recorded by Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi
.
In 1475 he established a printing-office at Mantua, from which he issued:
All these books were printed between 1476 and 1480, when the business was suspended on account of the rivalry of Abraham ben Ḥayyim at Ferrara.
Abraham Conat was proud of his work; he used to accompany his name in the colophon
s by the words "Who writes with many pens without the help of miracles, for the spread of the Torah in Israel." He was especially delighted that four pages could be printed at one time on a large sheet, and that he could produce two thousand pages every day. His type was of such a shape that his editions are often taken for manuscripts.
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
in the second half of the 15th century) was an Italian Jewish printer, Talmudist, and physician.
He obtained the title of ḥaber
Haber
Haber means in old German "oat", in modern German it is "Hafer":"Haferflocken"="Oatflakes".Haber can refer to:* The Haber process, the method of synthesizing ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen....
(associate of a rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
) for his learning, but displayed it chiefly in the choice of works selected by him for printing, which art he and his wife Estellina expressly learned. He embarked upon the business of printing at Mantua in 1476, and became celebrated as one of the earliest printers of Hebrew books in Europe, producing the third to the tenth of Hebrew incunabula as recorded by Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi
Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi
Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi was an Italian Christian Hebraist. He studied in Ivrea and Turin. In October 1769, he was appointed professor of Oriental languages at the University of Parma, where he spent the rest of his life...
.
In 1475 he established a printing-office at Mantua, from which he issued:
- Tur Orah HayyimOrach ChayimOrach Chayim "manner of life" is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of Halakha , Arba'ah Turim. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law primarily pertinent to the Hebrew calendar...
, by R. Jacob ben AsherJacob ben AsherJacob ben Asher, also known as Ba'al ha-Turimas well as Rabbi Yaakov ben Raash , was likely born in Cologne, Germany c.1269 and likely died in Toledo, Spain c.1343....
(1476) - Tur Yoreh De'ahYoreh De'ahYoreh De'ah is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha , Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, divorce, or sexual conduct....
, by the same author, only one-third of which, however, was printed by him, the rest being executed at FerraraFerraraFerrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north... - Behinat Olam, by Jedaiah Bedersi, in which Conat was assisted by his wife Estellina and Jacob Levi of Tarascon
- The commentary on the Pentateuch by Levi ben Gershon (Ralbag)
- Luhot, astronomical tables giving the length of day at different times of the year, by Mordecai Finzi
- Sefer Yosippon, the pseudo-Josephus or Gorionides
- Eldad ha-DaniEldad ha-DaniEldad ha-Dani or Eldad HaDani or Eldad ben Mahli ha-Dani was a Jewish, Hebrew-writing merchant and traveler of the ninth century. He professed to have been a citizen of an "independent Jewish state" in eastern Africa, probably in the Gihon region, inhabited by people claiming descent from the...
- Nofet Ẓufim, the rhetoric of Messer Leon (Judah).
All these books were printed between 1476 and 1480, when the business was suspended on account of the rivalry of Abraham ben Ḥayyim at Ferrara.
Abraham Conat was proud of his work; he used to accompany his name in the colophon
Colophon (publishing)
In publishing, a colophon is either:* A brief description of publication or production notes relevant to the edition, in modern books usually located at the reverse of the title page, but can also sometimes be located at the end of the book, or...
s by the words "Who writes with many pens without the help of miracles, for the spread of the Torah in Israel." He was especially delighted that four pages could be printed at one time on a large sheet, and that he could produce two thousand pages every day. His type was of such a shape that his editions are often taken for manuscripts.